Child Support Attorneys

Assisting Clients with Family Law Issues in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, and the Surrounding Areas

Parents have a legal and ethical obligation to support their minor children under Illinois law — even after a marriage has been dissolved via divorce proceedings.

If you are involved in an Illinois divorce case and you have any minor children, child support will definitely be an issue. The experienced, knowledgeable attorneys at Nigohosian & Dahlquist, P.C. can assist you with your case. When you contact our office, our family law attorneys will review your circumstances — and those of your spouse — to help you obtain a fair and equitable result in your case.

Changes to Illinois Child Support Guidelines in 2017

In July 2017, an update to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act went into effect which significantly altered the guidelines that Illinois courts use to arrive at the amount of child support one spouse must pay to another following entry of a divorce decree. Previously, child support calculations were very formulaic, basing payments on a percentage of the non-custodial parent's net income. Under the updated guidelines, the court will determine the amount of money that would typically be spent to care for a child based on both parents' combined income, and that amount will be distributed between the parents based on their individual net incomes relative to the combined net income. The amount of parental responsibility and parenting time that each parent enjoys will also be taken into account.

The Illinois child support guidelines are not set in stone, however, and a judge may deviate from the guidelines based upon each spouse's individual circumstances.

Illinois Best Interest of the Child Factors

Illinois courts also make child support decisions based upon the longstanding Best Interest of the Child Standard. Judges utilize the following non-exhaustive list of factors when determining what is in the best interest of a child:

• Incomes of both spouses
• Child's educational and emotional needs
• Child's physical and medical needs
• The standard of living to which the child has grown accustomed
• Financial needs of children and parents
• Care expenses including daycare, healthcare, and extracurricular expenses

Courts may deviate from the Illinois Child Support Guidelines depending upon whether the spouses have joint/shared physical custody of the children. Courts will also modify child support decisions based upon material changes in the spouses' or children's circumstances.

Contact a Wheaton Child Support Lawyer Today

Support of minor children is almost always an issue in divorce cases, and the experienced child support attorneys of Nigohosian & Dahlquist, P.C. are ready and willing to assist you with any child support issues that may arise. Our divorce and child support attorneys are skilled litigators and advocates — both in the courtroom and at the mediation table.

We serve clients in Glen Ellyn, Naperville, Downers Grove, Lisle, Hinsdale, and Darien, and the surrounding communities. We assist clients in Kane County, Kendall County, Will County, and Cook County with divorce or child support cases. To set up a consultation with one of our respected divorce and child support attorneys, contact us online or call us at 630-462-0610.