Illinois law requires a parent who has custody of a child to receive child support from the other parent. The amount of child support is determined based on each party’s financial situation and their ability to provide for the child’s needs. This includes, but is not limited to, food, housing, transportation, health care and education expenses. Our Chicago Family Lawyers are here to assist you in arranging a child support that meets your family’s specific needs. We also have expertise in supporting child support cases between same-sex marriage partners.
Our Family and Child Support Attorneys can help you with all issues related to child custody, parenting time, allocation of parental responsibilities, and modification and enforcement of child support orders. The goal is to achieve a legal arrangement that is in the best interests of your children. We can negotiate out-of-court settlements or take the case to trial as necessary. Our team is experienced in a wide range of domestic relations matters, including high-net worth divorces and complex custody disputes.
Family law disputes involving child custody and parenting time can become very contentious and emotional, often resulting in lengthy and costly court battles. While it is the parents’ right to fight for their desired outcome, we always advise our clients that a court battle should be a last resort, and that settling outside of the courts is often better for everyone involved. Our Chicago Divorce Lawyers and Family lawyers have years of experience in negotiating a fair agreement that meets your needs as well as those of your children.
When deciding on a custody arrangement, the Judge considers many factors, including each parent’s wishes and how they will affect the child’s life. Generally, the Judge favors parents coming to their own agreement as to Decision Making and Parenting Time, but is willing to enter an Allocation Judgment if the parties cannot reach their own resolution.
The judge will also consider the child’s wishes if they are mature enough to express their preferences. The Judge will look at a variety of other factors, such as the child’s age, their educational level and whether or not they are living with one parent more than the other.
After a final decision is made on child custody, parenting time and child support, the court will enter a final order that will be in effect until the children are grown or reach the age of majority. In some circumstances, the court may order ongoing support to cover post-high school or college expenses. Our Chicago Child Support Lawyers are here to guide you through these complicated proceedings.
When determining child support, the court will use state statutory guidelines that are set as a percentage of the payer’s net income (minus taxes and other mandated deductions). These include, but are not limited to, health insurance, transportation costs and daycare expenses. A qualified Chicago Child Support Lawyer will know how to properly document these expenses and ensure a fair ruling.