It's a sad fact of life that relationships can end. Separation or divorce does not normally end your involvement and responsibility as a parent. When children are involved things can be much more complicated. Child support issues often come up during and after a divorce. Support is normally awarded to the custodial parent of a child from the non-custodial parent until the child turns 18. There are some exceptions to this norm, however generally, the child possesses the right to child support, though payments are made to the custodial parent. Frequently the paying parent becomes upset at the lifestyle and/or spending habits of the custodial parent and thereafter refuses to pay. Big mistake as a court will not hesitate to order that payments be resumed "or else."
In Illinois, child support is calculated as a percentage of the payer's income (after certain allowable deductions). The recommended guidelines regarding the expected amount of child support are fairly straightforward.
The Court determines the minimum amount of support by using the following Illinois Child Support and Calculations guidelines:
Number of Children Percent of Non-Custodial Parent's Net Income:
1 - 20%
2 - 28%
3 - 32%
4 - 40%
5 - 45%
6 or more - 50%
These percentages are only guidelines for child support payments. The court can veer from these guidelines based on a variety of factors including the resources of the custodial parent, the lifestyle the child enjoyed prior to the divorce, the educational needs of the child and the resources of the non-custodial parent.
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