Our firm will fight for your parental rights and optimum parenting plans.
Decatur Child Support Attorneys
Advocating for Parents in Macon County & Surrounding Areas
In Illinois, all children must be given the financial support they need for shelter, food, clothing, health care, and more. In divorce or legal separation, this support is a child’s right, not just a benefit. When involved in a child support issue or dispute, it is vital to remember that this financial resource is not about what a parent may want or not want but what a child needs and has nothing to do with the emotional issues of the parents involved.
At Hawkins Law, P.C., we can represent you in seeking child support, fighting for a fair support payment, enforcing payment, or modifying support obligations through the courts when circumstances change for you or the child involved. Our family law firm has been providing stable and competent representation to parents in and around Macon County for decades. We know and understand the laws, keep up to date with legislative changes, and have the know-how and experience you need for resolving child support issues in the courts.
Child Support in Illinois
Child support is the financial payment that the parent who spends less time with the child provides to the other parent (often referred to as the custodial parent). This financial support is meant to assist in the child’s upbringing, including all living expenses, daycare, educational costs, health care, and more. It is intended to ensure that the child’s economic needs do not suffer due to divorce, separation, or the unmarried situation of the parents living apart. Child support is commonly paid to the parent with whom the child lives a greater amount of time or who has a lower income than the other parent.
The calculation of child support in Illinois changed as of 2022. Under the old rules, it was based on the paying parent’s net income and the number of children being supported.
Under the new rules, child support is now calculated using the following factors:
- The combined net income of both parents
- The number of children being supported
- How much time the parent spends with the child
- Parental financial needs and resources
- The standard of living created if/when parents lived together
- The standard of living the child would have had if the parents had remained together
- The needs of the child
Courts generally presume that the payment arrived at through calculation under state law is correct. However, the payment amount can be adjusted up or down in cases where it does not serve a child’s best interests. Child support payments are required to be paid until the child reaches the age of 18 or until he or she graduates from high school.
Modifications & Enforcement
Child support obligations can only be modified through a court order. You must demonstrate to the court that your circumstances or those of your child have substantially changed. Examples of changed circumstances could be an illness or injury or employment changes. These payments can also be enforced through the courts. Failure to pay child support can lead to serious consequences ranging from asset seizures to driver’s license suspensions and criminal penalties.
Schedule a free initial consultation with a Decatur child support lawyer at Hawkins Law, P.C. by contacting us online or at (217) 599-6110 today.
Turn to a Proven Family Law Firm
Child support can be a contentious and complicated matter. Our family law firm has the experience, legal understanding, and dedication you need to ensure that your child support matter is resolved fairly while meeting the court’s standard of the best interests of your child.
- Decades of Experience
- Personalized Attention
- Stress-Free Environment
- Trustworthy Representation
- Knowledgeable Attorney
