How Is Child Support Calculated for More Than One Child?

 Posted on June 15, 2020 in Child Support

When a couple with children divorces, child support is often ordered to ensure that the child receives financial support from both of his or her parents. Child support can be a major expense in the paying parent’s life as well as a valuable resource for the recipient parent. If you are a divorcing parent who already has a child support obligation from a previous relationship, you may be concerned about how any additional child support requests will be handled. Read on to learn about how child support is calculated in Illinois when the parent has multiple obligations.

Income Shares Method for Calculating Child Support

Illinois child support orders entered after July 1, 2017 are calculated based on the Income Shares model. Instead of child support being based entirely on the payor parent’s income, this calculation method takes into account both of the parent’s incomes. In order to determine the amount of child support that a parent pays, the court combines both parent’s net income and then uses a statutory formula to determines the total amount of support for which both parents are collectively responsible. This total is called the “basic child support obligation.” The basic child support obligation is then divided between the parents based on each parent’s income. If each parent has the child for at least 146 nights a year, this is called a shared parenting arrangement. Because both of the parents are responsible for a large percentage of the total parenting time, the child support obligation is reduced in cases involving shared parenting. The courts may deviate from the Income Shares formula if doing so is in the child’s best interests.

What is Included in a Parent’s Net Income?

The income that is used for child support calculations is the parents’ net income. This means that the income is calculated by subtracting taxes and other expenses from the parent’s gross income. Any previous child support obligations or spousal support obligations are also deducted from the gross income. For example, if a father has a monthly net income of $4,500 and he currently pays $1,000 in child support, any new child support obligations would be calculated using an estimated net income of $3,500.

Contact a Kane County, Illinois Child Support Attorney

Juggling multiple child support obligations can be challenging. For help establishing, enforcing, or modifying child support in Illinois, contact Shaw Sanders, P.C. Whether you are the payor of child support or the recipient, our St. Charles family law attorneys will ensure that your rights are protected. Call our office today at 630-584-5550 and schedule a consultation.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000050K505.htm