What Expenses Can Be Covered Through Illinois Child Support Payments?

 Posted on August 13, 2020 in Child Support

Whether you are getting a divorce or you are an unmarried parent, child support is an important concern. Of course, you will want to ensure that your children’s basic needs, including food, clothing, and shelter, are provided for. However, raising kids can often include additional expenses for which you may want contributions from the other parent. When you are negotiating or determining a child support agreement, you should think beyond the basics to consider all of these costs that are necessary to maintain your children’s quality of life.

Special Expenses to Consider in Your Child Support Calculations

When calculating child support obligations, the State of Illinois considers the children’s physical and emotional condition, educational needs, and the standard of living the children could have expected if their parents were together. Ensuring that payments meet these standards often requires the inclusion of more than just basic needs. Other common expenses that can be covered through child support include:

1. Extraordinary medical expenses: If a child experiences an injury or illness resulting in costly medical bills, including those that are not covered by health insurance, both parents may be required to share in the payment responsibilities.

2. Expenses for children with special needs: When children require additional care for special needs related to an ongoing physical, medical, or developmental condition, both parents will likely be expected to contribute to the costs. This may include physical and/or occupational therapy, counseling, and more

3. Childcare costs: If either parent requires childcare services so that he or she can maintain employment or attend an educational or training program, then both parents may be obligated to pay for childcare expenses, sometimes by making payments directly to the childcare provider.

4. Extracurricular activities: If the court determines that participation in extracurricular activities allows the children to maintain their quality of life and contributes to their personal development, it may rule that both parents must contribute to reasonable costs related to these types of activities.

5. School and college expenses: Parents may be ordered to share in the payment of reasonable expenses for educational activities, which can include private school tuition if the child attended private school before the divorce and the parents’ incomes allow for it. The court can also determine that divorced or unmarried parents should share financial responsibility for a child’s college or post-secondary education up to the age of 23 or 25, including the cost of housing, living expenses, books and supplies, medical expenses, and tuition.

Contact a Kane County Divorce Lawyer Today

If you have questions about what you can include in your child support agreement, or about any of the other important decisions surrounding your Illinois divorce, the qualified attorneys at Weiler & Associates, Inc. can give you the answers you need. We are well-prepared to represent you through divorce negotiations and litigation to stand up for your interests and those of your children. Contact a St. Charles child support lawyer today at 630-331-9110 learn more about what we can do for you.

Sources:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000050k505.htm

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000050K513.htm