In many instances, divorcing parents can obtain child support to help them with family expenses after a separation or divorce. However, many parents have misunderstandings about child support payments and their own eligibility for support.

The goal of every family attorney at our firm is to provide you with the best possible legal assistance for you and your family. If you have questions about child support or need child support assistance, an Orland Park child support lawyer from Reidy Law Office LLC could review your situation, advise you of your legal options, and help you fight for the support you need.

Child Support Laws Applicable to Orland Park

Under 750 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/505, a court may order either or both parents to pay child support as part of a divorce or legal separation. Generally, courts calculate the amount of child support each parent is responsible to pay according to statutory rules and worksheets.

However, if a court finds that applying these guidelines would be inappropriate or not in the best interests of the child, it may calculate alternate support payments based on several factors including the following factors:

  • Financial resources and needs of the child(ren)
  • Financial resources and needs of the parents
  • Physical and emotional condition of the child and their needs

Additionally, a court may deviate from the child support guidelines if extraordinary medical expenditures are necessary to preserve the life or health of the child, including any additional expenses for a child with special needs. The court may also order either or both parents to contribute to reasonable expenses for the child’s health care expenses, education expenses, and/or extracurricular activities.

Generally, unless you have no gross income, you would have a minimum child support obligation of $40 per month, per child. To determine how much you may be expected to pay in child support based on all the above-mentioned criteria, consulting a skilled attorney in Orland Park may be a wise move.

Child Support Termination

According to 750 ILCS 5/505, child support payments usually continue until the child has reached the age of 18. However, if the child would not graduate high school until after turning 18, then the payments must continue, at a minimum, until the child’s graduation but not past the age of 19

Enforcement of Child Support

Illinois courts have the power to enforce support orders by holding non-paying parents in contempt of court. If a court finds that the other parent of your child failed to pay child support, it may place them on probation, suspend their drivers license, or even sentence them to periodic imprisonment for six months.

The court may permit them to be released from such a sentence in order to work but mandate that any or all of those earnings are contributed to the care of your child. Our team of knowledgeable family lawyers could provide additional information on enforcing Orland Park child support orders and pursuing past-due support payments.

Contact an Orland Park Child Support Attorney

Reidy Law Office LLC is available to provide you with the information you need to determine how much child support you could get and of how you should go about obtaining that support. An Orland Park child support lawyer from our firm could assist you with filing new petitions for child support or even modifications to your current payment amounts. Give us a call today at (708) 942-8428 to get started exploring your options.