Hinsdale, IL Child Support Lawyers

Lawyers Helping Parents Establish Child Support Orders in Hinsdale, Illinois

In many family law cases, child support is a critical issue that will need to be addressed. Child support orders are meant to ensure that children will receive the financial resources they need for a stable, healthy upbringing, regardless of the relationship between their parents. Both parents will share the financial responsibility for raising their children, and child support orders can ensure that they will both contribute toward children's needs.

Whether you need to address child support during a divorce or child custody case, establish paternity in order to collect child support, or make modifications to the amount of child support you pay or receive, legal help from an experienced attorney can be essential. At Goostree Law Group, we can provide guidance on how child support is calculated, what it may cover, and how you can take steps to meet the specific needs of your children.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Illinois

When calculating the amount of child support payments, the guidelines provided in Illinois law will consider the combined net income of both parents, and support will be allocated based on each parent's proportional share of that income. The calculation process generally includes:

• Determining each parent's net income, which will include their gross income minus taxes, mandatory retirement contributions, and other allowable deductions.
• Referring to the child support guidelines to find the total amount of support that would be appropriate based on the parents' combined net income and their number of children.
• Allocating the child support obligation between the parents based on their respective shares of the total income.
• In cases where parents have equal or near-equal amounts of parenting time, adjusting child support obligations based on the number of overnights the children will spend with each parent each year.

Our attorneys will help ensure that income is calculated accurately for both parents, identify permissible deductions, and ensure that all relevant financial details are considered when determining child support obligations.

What Child Support Is Intended to Cover

Child support is meant to address the basic needs of a child, including:

• Housing and utilities
• Food and clothing
• Basic healthcare costs
• Transportation costs

However, there are likely to be additional child-related expenses that are not covered by the basic child support obligation. In these cases, parents may be required to divide these additional costs.

Additional Expenses in Child Support Orders

Beyond the standard amount of child support determined using the guidelines in Illinois law, courts may require parents to share responsibility for additional child-related expenses. These may include:

• Health Insurance Premiums: Parents may be ordered to contribute to the costs of providing or maintaining health insurance for children.
• UninsuredMedical Expenses: Co-pays, deductibles, and uncovered services such as therapy or orthodontics may be shared between the parents.
• Childcare Costs: If childcare is necessary for a parent to work or attend school, the costs will often be divided based on each parent's income.
• Educational Expenses: These may include private school tuition, tutoring, school supplies, or special programs. Parents may agree to divide certain types of expenses.
• Extracurricular Activities: Parents may also be required to contribute to the costs of activities such as sports, music lessons, or summer camps.

Call 630-584-4800 and let us help your family.

High Net Worth Child Support Issues

In situations where parents have a high net worth, the standard child support guidelines may not adequately reflect a child's accustomed standard of living. When the combined income of the parents exceeds the guideline thresholds, courts may deviate from the standard formulas and order a different amount of child support

Our lawyers can assist with high income child support deviations by:

• Documenting the children's lifestyle during the parents' marriage or relationship to ensure that disruptions to their lives can be avoided.
• Demonstrating the reasonable needs of the child, including private school tuition, travel, and extracurricular activities that reflect the family's economic status.
• Preventing underreporting of income or concealment of assets that could unfairly reduce the child's financial support.

In family law cases, courts will usually take steps to ensure that children can maintain a standard of living that is consistent with what they would have experienced if their parents had remained together. Our attorneys will advocate for a fair and appropriate amount of child support that will meet children's ongoing needs while protecting our client's financial interests.