A new law, taking effect July 1, will change the way child support is calculated in Illinois. Rather than base child support on existing percentages such as 20% for one child, 28% for two, 32% for three and 40% for four…the amendment to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act will base child support on an income shared approach.
The child support guidelines will “calculate child support based upon the parents’ combined adjusted net income estimated to have been allocated to the child if the parents and children were living together in an intact household”. 750 ILCS 5/505 (a)(1)(D).
To simplify, say for example, that $10,000 is spent on the child or children annually based on the parents shared income. If the father’s portion of the combined income is 60 percent and the mother’s is 40 percent, then dad would pay $6,000 (60%) and mom would pay $4,000 (40%) toward the support of the child/children.
In essence, the new calculation takes into account how much of the financial weight each parent is responsible for by taking into account what each parent brings to the combined adjusted net income figure. Further calculations will reflect adjustments for parenting time (aka child custody and visitation).
If you have questions regarding how the new law will impact your child support obligation or how parenting time figures into the calculation, contact the Law Offices of Ronald L Bell PC for more information at 847-495-6000.