How Should Medical Expenses Be Managed with Regard to Child Support?

 Posted on December 11, 2019 in Child Support

Illinois courts believe that children have a right to receive financial support from both of their parents- even if those parents are unmarried or divorced. Child support payments can help parents share child-related costs such as tuition, childcare, extracurricular fees, basic necessities, and medical care. While the costs of feeding and clothing your child will likely stay relatively stable throughout his or her childhood, medical expenses can quickly add up to excessive amounts – especially if your child requires ongoing or specialized medical care. Read on to learn about how medical costs are handled under Illinois child support laws.

Special Needs and Extraordinary Medical Costs

Typically, when parents receive a child support order from the court, the order will dictate how routine medical care such as yearly physicals, dental cleanings, and doctor’s visits for minor medical issues are handled. “Extraordinary” medical expenses include out-of-pocket or uninsured medical costs like co-pays, deductibles, or costs associated with major medical interventions like surgery. These costs may not be covered by the child support order you originally received from the court.

If your child has a medical condition that requires medical care above and beyond what is accounted for in your current child support order, you have a few options. One option is to revisit your child support order through a child support modification. Illinois law states that parents are permitted to request a child support modification when there is a major change in either the child’s needs or the parents’ income.

If you are overwhelmed by child-related medical costs, you may be able to request that these additional expenses are included in your child support order. A judge may also require parents to pay medical costs in addition to the child support order. For example, if your child requires treatment for cancer, the judge may require parents to share this cost in addition to the existing child support order. Generally, the court divides extraordinary medical costs between parents proportionately and based on each parent’s income.

Contact a St. Charles Child Support Lawyer

When a child’s financial needs increase dramatically due to a medical condition, managing child support can become very complicated. For sound legal guidance regarding child support modifications and other family law matters, contact an accomplished Kane County family law attorney at Shaw Sanders, P.C. We can help you explore your options and decide on a course of action which is in your child’s best interests. Call our office today at 630-584-5550 to schedule a free and confidential initial consultation.

Sources:

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

https://www.illinois.gov/hfs/SiteCollectionDocuments/INCOMESHARESFAQ.pdf