New Child Support Law Targets Self-Employed Parents

 Posted on January 09, 2013 in Family Law

With the New Year comes new laws. One of those new laws in place will help enforce child support obligations from parents who are self-employed or business owners, but don’t pay those obligations - something that has been difficult to do in the past. For a parent who is employed, the courts have the option of attaching his or her paycheck to ensure child support payments are made. But that isn’t an option available for a parent who is self-employed or owns their own business.  Illinois Public Act 097-1029, which took effect January 1, 2013, gives the courts options they can utilize for those parents who aren’t paying. The court may order the parent to provide monthly financial statements showing expenses and income in order to determine exactly what that parent earns. Another option the court has is to force the self-employed parent to look for employment, requiring the keeping of a log or diary of their job search activities. The court can even require a delinquent parent to go to the Department of Employment Security to apply for services to find work that is subject to child support withholding. Anyone who doesn’t pay child support is subject to sanctions by the court, which can include probation, driver’s license suspension, community service or even jail. If you have been ordered to pay support but are having difficulties meeting those obligations, you should consult with a qualified Illinois divorce attorney to find out what solutions may be available to you.