Let's Talk About Child Support and Contribution to Expenses

The duty of support owed to a child includes the obligation to provide for the reasonable and necessary physical, mental and emotional health needs of the child. In Illinois, child support is calculated using the "Income Shares Method" which incorporates both the custodial and noncustodial parents' incomes.

In order to determine child support, both parties must complete a Financial Affidavit and provide documentation proving their income, e.g. paystubs, W-2s, tax returns, etc. These figures are converted into standardized net income amounts as determined by the tables published by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

From there you look to the Income Shares Table and determine the payor's percentage of the parties' combined net income. Because the Income Shares Table is the total amount of support, the payor, also known as the obligor pays their respective percentage of that total to the obligee. The recipient is responsible for the remainder, but no money changes hands. 

Disclaimer, each case has different factors, including whether parties' are W-2 or 1099 workers, that may impact child support calculations impacting the process generally above, so it is best to consult with an experienced family law attorney regarding your specific circumstances. 

In addition to determining child support, you will need to consider contribution to your child's expenses which is in addition to guideline child support. It may be appropriate to divide these expenses 50-50, or to use the percentage of the parties' incomes to divide expenses. Alternatively, it may be appropriate for one parent to pay 100% of certain expenses based on your specific circumstances. If you're ready to talk about child support and contribution to expenses, reach out and schedule your free 15 minute phone call.