In July of this year, Illinois implemented a fairly substantial change to their child support calculations. This will have a direct impact on families in Illinois that are going through child support matters.

Previously, child support in Illinois was calculated by primarily using the payor’s net income. The family court judge was to deduct from the payor’s gross income certain items to come up with the payor’s net income.

Depending on the number of children, a percentage was paid for the net income. It was 20% for one child, 28% for two children, 32% for three children, etc.

Under the new law, child support calculations will change pretty dramatically. Family court judges are now supposed to look at the combined net income of both parties. This puts Illinois in the category of not only looking at the payor’s income but the payee’s income as well.

The court is then to look at the percentage of the net income for both parents. The combined net income is put into an income shares chart to determine the basic child support obligation. The numbers on the chart are then the parent’s child support obligation.  Then, the number for the payor parent is supposed to be the amount that the parent pays in child support.

For residents of Illinois, this is a substantial change from how child support worked before. In some ways, this will make the way Illinois calculates child support more similar to how child support has been calculated in Missouri, although there are certainly some differences.

A big difference is Missouri looks at the gross income of the parties in calculating. However, Illinois looks at the combined net income. But either way, the fact that the income of both parents is being considered is still a step closer to Missouri and what is referred to as an income shares model.

If you are going through a child support matter in Illinois, you can contact Stange Law Firm, PC at 855-805-0595.