Every year, thousands of American couples elect to separate and file for divorce. While the divorce process can be a painful transition, a divorce can lead to much-needed independence, a newly invigorated lifestyle, and another chance at finding love. When children are involved, divorce can come with complications. Despite the misconception that a child is better off in a household with two parents, even if the relationship is unhealthy, it is never healthy for a child to experience a marital relationship that is no longer functioning.

If your relationship with your spouse is no longer healthy, it is incredibly likely that you are no longer operating as a healthy parenting team. All that said, life as a sole-custodial parent can be highly stressful. Nothing causes single parents as much stress as questions of financial security. If you believe you are entitled to child support payments from your former spouse, it is time to contact a quality legal team.

The amount of money a non-custodial parent is required to pay for their minor child is called child support. Child support calculations in Illinois are based on both parents’ incomes as well as their parenting time and parental responsibility.

Although child support payments typically end when a child turns 18 or 19 and has graduated from high school, there are some situations where a parent may be required to provide their child with financial support beyond age 18 or 19. These situations include:

Children are the top priority in every divorce case. For this reason, Illinois divorce law offers various options to help parents receive the child support payments they need to provide for their children and allow them to live the high quality of life they deserve.

Although some parents trust their ex-spouse to make direct child support payments, others do not and rely on wage garnishment to collect their payments.

If you have a pending divorce or child support case in the state of Illinois, you may have already heard the news: Child support, which was once calculated using a percentage-based formula in Illinois, is now being configured using an income-shares model. What does all this terminology mean, and how might it affect the outcome of your family law case? Learn the answers to these questions, and discover what an experienced family law attorney can do for you in your child support case or divorce, with help from the following information.

How the New Income-Shares Model Works

Divorce impacts everyone involved, but children are often more sensitive to the separation. They can become depressed or angry. They might withdraw from family and friends, or they may start to do poorly in school. Some become anxious. Others regress. Still, some may act out and become violent or destructive. Thankfully, parents can reduce the risk and long-term impact of these possible issues. The following explains how.

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