The Income Shares Model for Child Support Calculations in Illinois

 Posted on January 30, 2025 in Child Support

Parents going through divorce tend to feel overwhelmed at the prospect of child support. Whether you will be paying it or receiving it, you need to understand how much it will be so you can plan around it. With clear state-mandated guidelines dictating how child support payments are calculated, an experienced Illinois family law attorney can review your situation and give you clarity and reasonable expectations.

What is the Income Shares Model?

Illinois uses an "income shares" model to determine child support amounts. This model calculates the parents’ income and the child’s needs. The goal is to ensure that the same proportion of parental income will be spent on the child by divorced parents as it would have been if they were still together, to maintain the child’s standard of living.

First, the parent’s income is calculated. This is the value of all their income sources, which can include their salaries, social security or workers’ compensation benefits, work-related income such as commissions and bonuses, and income from investments. 

Next, certain qualifying expenses can be added together. These can include federal, state, social security, and medicare taxes; health insurance costs for the child; mandatory contributions to retirement funds; and court-ordered support for other children. These are deducted from the parent’s income to calculate their net income.

The total amount of child support is based on the parents’ combined net income and the number of children who must be supported. Each parent’s percentage of the combined income is the basis for their share of the support obligation. For example, a parent who earns 70 percent of the combined net income is responsible for 70 percent of the child support obligation. Illinois’ Department of Healthcare and Family Services has a useful child support estimator that can give you a good idea of what your child support payments will be, and a knowledgeable lawyer can offer further explanations and insight.

What Else is Factored in Child Support Calculations?

Parenting time is another important part of the calculation. If the child stays overnight with one parent for at least 40 percent of the year (at least 146 overnights), the parents are considered to share parental responsibilities, and the child support obligation can be adjusted to reflect this. The obligation for each parent is calculated individually and the amounts that each parent is responsible for are offset to determine what the final payment should be.

Additional expenses – including medical costs for the child that are not covered by insurance, childcare expenses, and the costs of extracurricular activities – may be divided between the parents.

Contact a Cook County, IL Child Support Lawyer

Since child support amounts are based on the unique finances, parenting plans, and other aspects of each family, no set amount applies to everyone. A qualified Rolling Meadows, IL family law attorney can walk you through all the factors that go into a child support calculation and help you understand what to expect. 

At The Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, L.L.C., we have over 30 years of experience protecting our clients’ interests and providing them with clear and thorough explanations throughout the process. Call us at 312-984-1514 so we can begin working towards your best outcome.