Vernon Hills Child Support Attorney

Child Support Lawyer and Mothers’ Rights Attorney Serving Clients in Vernon Hills, Illinois

Did you know that Illinois recently changed the way it determines child support obligations? When a couple gets divorced, issues surrounding the children can be some of the most difficult and contentious. For mothers who are just returning to work as a result of the divorce, matters of child support can feel overwhelming. At the Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group, we have been assisting mothers with a wide variety of child support issues for years, and we are here to help with the new child support laws.

Under current Illinois law (750 ILCS 5/505), Vernon Hills residents will need to know about the “income shares” model for child support. According to the statute, one of the primary aims of the new law is to calculate the child support obligation based on the combined net income “estimated to have been allocated for the support of the child if the parents and child were living in an intact household.” In other words, how much would each parent contribute toward the support of the child if the parents and the child were still living together in one home? Given the shift in the law, the court will determine support obligations differently than it did previously. If you have questions or concerns, a Vernon Hills child support attorney can assist you.

How the Income Shares Model of Child Support Works in Vernon Hills

How does the income shares model work? Under the new child support law, there is no longer a system in which one parent (who used to be known as the noncustodial parent) made child support payments to the other parent (often the custodial parent). Child custody laws have changed in the state to reflect a shared parenting model, and the new child support laws emphasize that both parents have a support obligation for their children.

Now that Illinois is using the income shares model, how does it calculate child support obligations for each parent? The court must take a number of steps, which include the following:

1. Determine the net monthly income for each of the parents separately;
2. Add each parent’s net monthly income to determine a combined net monthly income;
3. Use the schedule of basic child support obligations to determine, based on the combined net monthly income, what the total support obligation should be for the child or children; and
4. Calculate what each parent’s share of that monthly support obligation should be.

In cases involving a “multi-family” situation, the court can adjust child support obligations accordingly. In other words, if one or both of the parents have a support obligation for a child that is not shared with the other parent in this particular case, then there will be an adjustment to that parent’s net income.

Contact a Vernon Hills Child Support Lawyer for Assistance with Your Case

If you are in the process of filing for divorce and have questions about child support obligations, an experienced Vernon Hills child support lawyer can assist you. At the Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group, we are committed to helping mothers in Illinois with child support issues. Contact us today to discuss your situation and to learn more about how we can help.