Libertyville Child Support Attorney

Illinois Child Support Attorney Providing Assistance to Clients in Libertyville

Issues surrounding child support in Libertyville, Illinois can be complicated, and they can produce significant anxiety among mothers who are concerned about how they will support their children after a divorce. Illinois law (750 ILCS 5/505) underwent changes recently with regard to child support. While the state used to rely on a model for calculating child supporting known as “percentage of obligor net income,” it has now shifted to a model known as the “income shares” model. According to a fact sheet from Child Support Services within the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services, the income shares model “is considered a more equitable approach to computing child support,” and a majority of states use this approach.

To learn more about how the income shares model of child support will affect your case, you should speak with a Libertyville child support lawyer. At the Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group, our advocates are dedicated to providing experienced counsel for mothers in Illinois, and we can answer your questions today.

Understanding the Income Shares Model for Child Support

What is an income shares model for child support? In brief, this model is aimed at providing an amount of support for the child based on the amount of support the child would have received in an intact household with both parents. To do that, the court looks separately at each parent’s net monthly income, and then adds those amounts together to obtain a total net monthly income. Based on that total amount, the court looks to child support guidelines to decide what the monthly support obligation should be.

Another aspect of the income shares model that is different from previous Illinois law is that both parents are responsible for the financial support obligation. The court takes into account a variety of factors in determining each parent’s percentage of the total support obligation. For instance, does one parent already pay child support for another child from a separate relationship? Does the child spend significantly more time with one parent than another? The statute makes clear that these issues, as well as others, can be taken into account when determining each parent’s support obligation.

Deviating from the Child Support Guidelines for Libertyville Residents

While the model for determining child support obligations has changed, the law still allows the court to deviate from the child support guidelines for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:

• Extraordinary medical expenses for the child, or for either of the parents;
• Additional expenses required for a child with medical, physical, or developmental needs; and
• Any other factors that may be relevant.

Learn More from a Mother’s Rights Lawyer in Libertyville

The new income shares model for child support is intended to be more equitable and to promote shared parenting. However, child support calculations can be complicated, and it is important to work with an experienced Libertyville child support attorney who can advocate for your needs throughout the process. Our firm has years of experience serving mothers and emphasizing mothers’ rights issues in Illinois. Contact the Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group today to discuss your case.