When you divorce your spouse, your duty as parents to your minor children stays the same. By establishing a court order for child support, you can ensure that your kids can continue to grow in a financially secure and stable environment.
To help provide you with a better understanding of how child support works, here are three common questions about Illinois’ child support processes.
How do courts determine child support costs?
In Illinois, the courts follow a child support calculation method known as the “income shares model.” Under this concept, your children should receive the same amount of parental income as they would have if you were still living together.
The calculation will be based on you and your spouse’s gross monthly income, factored by the number of your children.
How does an ‘income withholding for support order’ (IWO) work?
If you are the non-custodial parent, your employer will receive an IWO that informs them of your child support obligation. In this process, your employer will withhold your child support payments from your paychecks.
The Illinois State Disbursement Unit will then collect these payments. After they process the funds, they will transfer it to your ex-spouse (the custodial parent) either by check, direct deposit or debit card.
How long do I need to pay for child support?
In Illinois, your child support obligations continue until your child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes first. However, if they marry or join the military before they turn 18 years old, your support payments end earlier.
There are also cases where your child support order may be extended, such as:
- You and your ex-spouse agreed to share on your child’s college expenses
- Your child is an adult with a disability
If your child has a disability, the court will assess their condition and care costs to determine how long the extension will be.
By taking your time to learn about how child support works in Illinois, you can become more familiar with the process and ensure that your child’s needs and best interests can always come first.