Cook County Child Support Attorney

Lawyer for Child Support Disputes in Cook County

Raising happy, healthy, and successful children takes many years of love and dedication, not to mention a great deal of patience and effort. It also takes money. You cannot possibly reduce your child's well-being and happiness to a dollar amount, but the reality is that in order to meet his or her needs, you will need to spend real, actual money. Following a divorce, providing for your child can become especially difficult.

With that in mind, the team at The Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, LLC is here to help. We have the experience and legal knowledge necessary to help divorcing parents or parents who were never married deal with the financial side of raising their children. Our team offers reliable guidance and trusted representation to both mothers and fathers involved in child support matters.

Bucktown Family Lawyer Who Understands the Law

For many years, Illinois law based child support obligations almost solely on the income of the paying parent. The parent with less parenting time was required to pay a specific percentage of his or her earnings, depending on how many children were being supported. The calculation itself was fairly simple, but the system was not equipped to handle the reality of the modern family.

In 2017, Illinois lawmakers brought the state's child support system up to date by instituting an "income shares" method of calculating support. Attorney Curtis Bennett Ross played an active part in updating the law, as he co-authored the new child support measure along with his colleagues in the Illinois State Bar Association. The income shares method is more complex than the old system was, but it is designed to take the income of both parents into account, as well as several other important factors. The parent with less parenting time will still usually be the one who is required to pay child support, but the calculation is generally considered to be much more equitable than in the past.

The current law relies on tables developed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHFS). These tables establish a "basic child support obligation" based on the combined monthly income of the parents, minus allowable taxes and other deductions. Under the law, the basic child support obligation can be adjusted to account for health insurance premiums, childcare, medical costs, extracurricular activities, and other extra child-related expenses. Shared parenting time can also be accounted for before the support obligation is divided between the parents based on their contributed percentage of the combined income.

Protecting Your Rights in Skokie and Rolling Meadows

At the Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, LLC, we realize that the formula for calculating a child support obligation will be used in a large percentage of divorce cases, but exceptions do apply. For example, if you and your spouse have a combined net income that exceeds the limits of the DHFS tables, the court has the authority to enter an order for child support that is equitable and in the child's best interests. The same is true in any other situation in which the court deems that a deviation from the statutory formula is necessary. Our team will assist you in reviewing your situation and exploring the options that might be available to you. We will also ensure that your rights are fully protected every step of the way.

Get Help from a Skilled Chicago Child Support Lawyer

If you have additional questions about how child support is determined in an Illinois divorce, contact our office for answers. Call 312-984-1514 to schedule a no-cost limited introductory consultation at The Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, LLC today. We serve clients in and around Cook County, including the neighborhoods of River North, Lincoln Park, Greektown, Bucktown, West Loop, Oak Park, Gold Coast, Andersonville, Wrightwood, and downtown Chicago.