3 Additional Expenses to Include in Your Illinois Child Support Order

 Posted on March 29, 2021 in Child Support

Most people in today’s world would agree that raising a child is the job of both parents, rather than just one. However, when the parents are not together because of divorce or another reason, raising a child can become complicated, especially as it relates to the financial side of things. Raising a child is not cheap. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), parents spend, on average, approximately $233,610 to raise each child through age 17. Even though the living arrangements likely place the child with one parent for the majority of the time, the other parent will still be required to financially contribute to the child’s upbringing through child support payments.

Child Expenses That Should Be Included

The monthly child support payments are calculated in the same way for everyone, by using a standardized formula set forth in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA). The formula takes into account certain factors from both parents, such as income and the amount of parenting time each parent has and produces an amount that is usually paid by the parent with the least amount of parenting time to the parent with the most parenting time. Child support is intended to be used for the majority of the child’s needs, such as food and clothing, but there are other expenses that come up that your child’s other parent is also responsible for helping with, such as the following:

• Childcare expenses: One of the most expensive parts of raising a child is often simply the cost of their daytime childcare. Many single parents rely on daycare centers or other childcare providers to care for their children while they are at work during the day, but those costs can add up quickly. You can petition to have your childcare expenses added to your child support order. 

• School or extracurricular expenses: School and extracurricular expenses can also add up. Every activity your child does requires some sort of fee or equipment or inevitably has some sort of cost associated with it. You should be sure that your child support order includes stipulations on how school and extracurricular expenses will be handled.

• Healthcare expenses: When it comes to something as important as healthcare, it would be unfair to force one parent to bear the burden of those costs on their own. Health insurance premiums can be expensive, even for children, and the costs of prescription drugs and copays can begin to pile up if you have a child who is sick often. You should be sure to include how you and your ex will split the cost of your child’s healthcare in your child support order.

Let Our Will County Child Support Lawyers Do the Work

Child support calculations can be cumbersome and confusing, especially if there is any contention between you and your child’s other parent. Our knowledgeable Bolingbrook child support attorneys can ensure that your child is receiving his or her fair amount of child support based on current factors. We can also help you include any additional child expenses in your child support order. To schedule a free consultation, call the Law Office of Ronald L. Hendrix, P.C., today at 630-355-7776.

Sources:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075000050HPt%2E+V&ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=6100000&SeqEnd=8350000

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/01/13/cost-raising-child