Arlington Heights Child Support Attorneys
Arlington Heights Child Support Lawyers Attorneys at Sterling Lawyers, LLC
Jacqueline N. McClellan
Lea C. Diaz
Nina Kelly
Jeff Hughes
Alexandra Isroff
Cynthia Toscano
Katie VanDeusen
Reyna Herrera
Ryan Shope
Samantha Witting
Are you ready to move forward? Call (312) 757-8082 to schedule a strategy session with one of our attorneys.
About Sterling Lawyers in Arlington Heights
Whether you will be paying child support or counting on it, the amount comes down to a formula, and what goes into that formula is where the real arguments happen. Illinois uses an income shares model: the court adds both parents’ monthly net incomes, finds the amount the state’s schedule sets for that combined income and number of children, and divides it by each parent’s share of the income, with adjustments when the children split significant time between both homes.[1] That guideline amount is presumed correct, but the court can depart from it with written findings. Health insurance for the children has to be addressed, and the court can add a share of child care and school and extracurricular costs on top.
Our Arlington Heights family law firm helps with all three stages: setting support in the first place, changing it when life changes, and enforcing it when payments stop. Arlington Heights cases are heard in Cook County, and we start with the numbers both sides will be judged on, including income that does not show up neatly on a pay stub.
For how support works across the state, start with child support in Illinois, and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services explains the income shares guidelines on its own site.[2]
Why Arlington Heights Clients Choose Sterling Lawyers
Fixed Fees, Quoted Before You Sign
This is what most people call about, so here it is plainly. We do not bill by the hour. Before you sign anything, you get a fixed fee quoted for your case, and research, phone calls, emails, the drive to court, and the time your attorney spends on your file are covered by it.
That matters in a support case, because the numbers keep moving. The other parent changes jobs, a raise shows up, a child starts a new activity, and each of those raises a question. Asking your attorney about any of it does not add to your bill. Our Illinois pricing page shows how our paths are priced, and we walk you through what your quote includes before you commit.
Family Law Is the Only Thing We Practice
No real estate closings, no estate plans, no criminal defense. Divorce, parenting, support, and property cases are all we do. In a child support case, that shows up in the income that is easy to miss: a self-employed parent whose tax return looks thin next to how the family actually lives, or a company car and a housing allowance that never show up on a pay stub but can still count as income.
Straight Answers, Including the Hard Ones
If the guideline number is going to land close to what you are paying or receiving now, we will tell you before you spend money chasing a change. If the other parent is hiding income, we will tell you what it takes to prove it and whether it is worth the effort. A realistic number early is worth more than a hopeful one late.
Want a rough figure before you call? Run your numbers through our Illinois child support calculator, then bring the result to the consultation so we can tell you what it is missing.
We also match the path to the situation. If you and the other parent are close to agreeing, an uncontested path costs less than a contested hearing. If you would rather handle the case yourself with an attorney checking your work, our Legal Coaching path is built for that.
Talk to an Arlington Heights Child Support Lawyer
Whether you need support set for the first time, changed, or finally paid, the first conversation is about your actual numbers. Book a consultation with Sterling Lawyers and we will match you with an attorney from this office.
Are you ready to move forward? Call (312) 757-8082 to schedule a strategy session with one of our attorneys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will child support cover my kid’s medical expenses and extracurriculars in Arlington Heights?
Partly. A portion of the basic support amount is meant to cover ordinary out-of-pocket medical costs. When a parent provides health insurance for the children, the share of the premium attributable to them is added to the basic obligation and split by income, and the court can order either or both parents to share medical, dental, orthodontic, vision, and prescription costs that insurance does not cover. Child care and school and extracurricular expenses are up to the court’s discretion, and when child care is ordered, it is divided in proportion to each parent’s share of combined income.
How do I change a child support order?
You file a motion to modify and show a substantial change in circumstances, such as a significant change in either parent’s income or in the children’s needs. If one parent is receiving child support services from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and at least 36 months have passed since the order was entered or last changed, a gap of at least 20% between the current order and the guideline amount can be enough on its own, unless the gap comes from a deviation the court already approved and nothing behind it has changed. Move quickly once something changes: a modification can only reach payments that come due after the other parent has notice that you filed.[3]
What can be done if the other parent stops paying?
Quite a bit. A parent who does not pay can be held in contempt, and the court can order probation or periodic jail time. If the parent is 90 days or more behind, the court can suspend their Illinois driving privileges until they comply. Unpaid support accrues simple interest, each missed payment counts as a judgment, and a lien arises against the parent’s property. Support can also be collected through income withholding straight from a paycheck.
What financial documents should I bring to my first meeting?
Bring the last two or three years of tax returns with W-2s or 1099s, recent pay stubs, and records of any bonuses, commissions, or overtime. If you are self-employed, bring business tax returns, profit and loss statements, and anything showing perks the business pays for, like a car or a phone. Add recent bank statements, the cost of the children’s health insurance and who it covers, child care bills, school, activity, and tutoring costs, unreimbursed medical and dental bills, any existing support order for another child, and a record of how many overnights the children actually spend with each parent. In Cook County, most of this ends up in the Financial Affidavit, which the court treats as a mandatory disclosure in cases involving support.[4]
Can the other parent and I agree on a different amount?
You can agree, but the court still has to approve it. In a divorce, the child support terms in your agreement do not bind the court the way property terms do.[5] If the amount you agree on differs from the guidelines, the order has to include written findings explaining why and stating what the guideline amount would have been.
Sources
[1] 750 ILCS 5/505, Child support; contempt; penalties | https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000050k505.htm
[2] Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Income Shares | https://hfs.illinois.gov/childsupport/parents/incomeshares.html
[3] 750 ILCS 5/510, Modification and termination of provisions for maintenance, support, educational expenses, and property disposition | https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000050k510.htm
[4] Rules of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Part 13, Domestic Relations Proceedings (Rule 13.3.1) | https://www.cookcountycourtil.gov/part-13-domestic-relations-proceedings
[5] 750 ILCS 5/502, Agreement | https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000050k502.htm
