Child Support
One of the most important issues to resolve in a divorce is ensuring all of the couple’s children have a stable financial future to guarantee their well being. This financial obligation is called child support.
Our office has experience in all areas related to child support, including modification of child support and failure to pay child support—so do not hesitate to contact Stern Perkoski Mendez with any questions you may have about your Evanston, Chicago, Lake Forest and Oak Brook case. We understand the stress that is added to a divorce when children are involved and will help you resolve this delicate matter for the benefit of all parties.
What is child support?
For an Illinois divorce, child support typically includes payments made to the parent with the majority of the parenting time to assist with the financial burden of raising the couple’s children. While related, child support is a different issue than parental allocation (sole or joint custody).
The goal of child support is to provide a child with the same standard of living he or she would have enjoyed had the marriage stayed intact.
Child support payments typically last until the minor child graduates from high school or turns 19, whichever occurs later. In addition to child support, the court may also order contributions to the children’s other expenses, such as educational, medical, day care and extracurricular activity costs.
Modification of Child Support in Illinois
Child support may always be modified by an Illinois court in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs due to a substantial change in circumstance. This change is almost always a change in income of the paying-spouse, which can have one of two results:
- If the paying-spouse’s income goes up, the recipient-spouse may bring an action to increase child support.
- If the paying-spouse’s income decreases, he or she may also seek to reduce the amount of child support.
A child support order will not automatically adjust to reflect a paying-spouse’s reduced income. Any retroactive adjustment to the child support obligation will only go back to the date when the request was filed, if at all.
Should you need to modify your child support agreement, you do not need to use the same family law attorney who handled your initial divorce. Stern Perkoski Mendez has experience obtaining successful modification of child support appeals in Chicago, Evanston, Lake Forest and in the other suburbs of our practice area. Contact us at any time to discuss the specifics of your case.
Failure to Pay Child Support in Illinois
Failure to pay child support in any city, including Evanston, Chicago, Lake Forest and Oak Brook, can lead to severe repercussions, even jail. That’s why it is important for paying-spouses to modify their child support obligation the moment they can no longer comply.
More information can be found on our Enforcement of Judgments page.
Contact Our Family Law Firm in Evanston, Chicago, Lake Forest and Oak Brook
Do not hesitate to contact Stern Perkoski Mendez should you need to address unpaid child support. We understand the sensitive nature of the situation and will provide you with support and clarity while resolving the situation. Request a free consultation online or call us at (847) 868-9584.
