What Expenses Are Included in an Illinois Child Support Order?

 Posted on June 19, 2023 in Family Law

There are numerous expenses involved in raising children. They can start even before a child is born as parents address the costs of medical treatment during pregnancy, labor, and delivery and purchase baby products. Throughout childhood, parents will be required to pay for things such as clothing, school supplies, dental and orthodontic treatment, and activities, not to mention the ongoing costs of maintaining a home and feeding a family. Married couples will usually combine their incomes and other resources to ensure that their children's needs are met, but when a couple chooses to get a divorce, conflict may arise regarding how various child-related expenses will be divided between parents. In these situations, it is important to understand how parents' child support obligations will address different types of expenses.

Basic Child Support Expenses

The Illinois child support guidelines, which are detailed in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA), provide a method for calculating a "basic child support obligation" that will take the income earned by both parents into account. Each parent will be responsible for a certain percentage of this obligation. This amount is meant to cover the essential costs of raising a child, including necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, and some ordinary medical expenses.

Medical Expenses

Parents will need to ensure that children will receive sufficient medical care at all times, and to address the costs of this care, they will usually be required to ensure that children are covered under a health insurance plan. Monthly insurance premiums to provide coverage for children through a parent's employer or other health plans will generally be divided between the parents. Other medical expenses, such as deductibles, co-pays, medications, or treatment not covered by health insurance, may also be shared by both parents.

Child Care Expenses

Parents will usually be required to divide the costs of all employment-related child care. That is, if payments must be made to a provider who will supervise and care for children while a parent is working or pursuing education that will further their employment opportunities, these expenses may be shared by both parents. Child care expenses may include daycare, after-school programs, or summer camps.

School and Extracurricular Activities Expenses

Costs related to children's education may be included in an Illinois child support order. Educational expenses may include tuition, textbooks, school supplies, and enrollment fees. Parents may also divide expenses related to extracurricular activities such as sports, music lessons, or dance classes.

Allocating Expenses Between Parents

A child support order will include a basic child support obligation, and it may also include any additional expenses that are necessary that extend beyond children's basic needs. The amount that each parent will be required to pay will typically depend on the amount of income they earn. Expenses will be divided based on each parent's percentage of the couple's combined income. That is, if one parent earns 60 percent of the combined income, they will be responsible for 60 percent of the child support obligations, and the other parent will be responsible for the other 40 percent. The parent who has the majority of the parenting time will generally receive child support payments from the other parent, although other payment arrangements may be made for paying different types of expenses.

Contact Our Naperville Child Support Lawyers

Issues related to child support can be complex and confusing, but parents will need to understand their obligations and the steps they can take to ensure that their children's needs will be met. At Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, our Lombard child support attorneys can provide guidance on how child support obligations will be calculated and how different types of expenses may be handled. We can help parents determine the best solutions that will allow them to cover their children's expenses while maintaining financial stability. Contact our firm at 630-932-9100 to schedule a free consultation today.

Source: 

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000050k505.htm