Legal Question in Family Law in Illinois

Re: Child Support Payments

I can answer only in terms of Indiana law, where I practice.

It's a mathematical computation in Indiana.

You take the gross income of the mother and the gross income of the father, add them together and figure out who makes what percentage of the total money. For instance, she makes 60 percent of the money, and he makes 40 percent of the money.

Then you look at a chart that says what amount of that money, at that income level, is generally used for a child. Then you use each person's percentage of the total income to figure out what part of that amount is his/hers.

Most expenses that the parents have, unfortunately for them, don't figure into the calculation. The only things that come in as credits are day care expenses, health insurance expenses (for the child only) and a visitation credit if the noncustodial parent spends a lot of time w/the child.

Most people are shocked when they find out how much child support they're expected to pay -- especially younger folks who are are the lower ends of the income spectrum and who have more than one child.

Hope this helps answer your question. If not, please e-mail me at [email protected] or call (317) 486-4578.