When parents separate, affording groceries, child care, and other necessities for their child can be challenging. Child support payments can help unmarried and divorced parents cover child related costs, so it is important to establish an enforceable child support order to ensure regular payments. However, sometimes government agencies are overwhelmed with requests, and a custodial…Read More
Child Support for a Soon-To-Be-Adult Child With Special Needs
Having a disabled child can be financially challenging for parents because they want to ensure their child has all the resources they will need. Many special needs children require specialized care and support, education, and assistive devices which can strain financial resources thin, needs which continue into adulthood. When parents of disable children divorce, child…Read More
Parent Not Providing Financial Child Support
Divorced parents are legally obligated to provide financial support for their children, ensuring that their child has the resources they need such as shelter, clothing, food and other basic requirements. Sometimes a parent who is considering divorce has concerns about the other parent pulling their weight when it comes to supporting their child. They may…Read More
Parenting Time and Child Support
With the new parenting time law in the state of Illinois, many divorcing parents think about parenting time as it relates to child support rather than what may be in the best interest of the child. Because the amount of child support a parent will pay is contingent upon how many overnights they have with…Read More
Fighting a Judgement for Imputed Income
Parents have a fundamental responsibility to support their minor or legally dependent children even if they are divorced. Sometimes a parent will fail to pay their fair share of child support, perhaps because they are out of work or underemployed. Everyone can fall on hard times, but if a parent does not make an effort…Read More
Child Support Debt and Bankruptcy
Parents who have accumulated child support debt often wonder if they have options under bankruptcy to discharge the child support arrears. Although it may be disheartening for parents struggling with significant delinquency to hear, the answer is no because child support is a priority debt and child support and arrears must be paid. However, bankruptcy…Read More
Child Support Statute of Limitations
Many saw the story break last year about a California woman who was awarded child support 50 years after her ex-husband hightailed it to Canada, leaving her to raise their 3 year old without the benefit of financial support. Fifty years later, realizing California did not have a statute of limitations on child support payments,…Read More
Sharing Parenting Expenses After Divorce
Sharing child rearing expenses can be challenging. Divorce almost always means that parents will have to tighten their belts as they begin to maintain separate households. When structuring a divorce settlement agreement, it is important to consider the personal finances involved in co-parenting so that you are not on the losing end of financial arrangements…Read More
College Financial Aid and Divorce
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) uses the information your child provides regarding your financial situation to determine your child’s financial aid eligibility. For parents that are married or reside together, FAFSA takes into account both parents incomes and assets. If parents are divorced and live apart, only the custodial parent is considered…Read More
Child Support for Child Care, Tuition & Extracurricular Activities
Many who are considering divorce worry about the impact divorce will have on their children financially. Beyond the basics of food, shelter and clothing typically covered by child support, many wonder if their child will be able to attend private schools, participate in activities such as sports, dance or music, travel on school field trips…Read More
