The Law Office of Nicholas Baker fights for parents that have been hurt because of dishonest parties and the rigid and inflexible laws that have been written.
Both mothers and fathers alike have issues with child support from their ex or their child’s other parent.
We Are Available to Talk Most Nights Until 10:00 p.m.
Oftentimes, it is too difficult to sort out who needs to pay what and what an equal split of the bills are because the other parent has been less than honest. Couple that with the fact that the child support laws in Illinois have been confusing and frustrating parents and even attorneys for decades in Illinois, and you have yourself a real mess. Now, with the child support laws being re-written in their entirety (effective on 7/1/2017), the process is even more difficult.
Unlike any other child support firm in Chicago, our office is equipped with full-time Private Investigator services–we will find the hidden assets!
The Law Office of Nicholas Baker fights for parents that have been hurt because of dishonest parties and the rigid and inflexible laws that have been written. An experienced child support attorney is needed whether you need a reduction in your child support or are not being paid the child support that you deserve.
Our Office Fixes Old Support Agreements
The State of Illinois has changed the way that child support is calculated from the decades old method of using a percentage of the non-custodial parents net income. The prior child support formula was as follows:
Number of Children Percentage of Income Paid as Support
1 20%
2 28%
3 32%
4 40%
5 45%
6 or more 50%
As of July 1, 2017, the child support formula has been entirely changed and the applicable statutes that control how child support is calculated (click the links to read in their entirety: 750 ILCS 5/505 and 750 ILCS 5/510).
Illinois now follows a number of states in using what it calls the “Income Shares Model” of child support. This is a formula that has been devised by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (known as “HFS”). The formula essentially combines the parties income into one bucket and then, depending on the number of children, the percentage of overnights each parent has each year with the minor child(ren), and some other factors, calculates each parents share of the total support obligation. This is done by using the charts made by HFS, they can be found here: HFS Child Support Charts. The State of Illinois has now also provided a basic child support estimate calculator that can be found here: Child Support Estimator for Parents.
This new calculation is extremely complex and no longer is simple for anyone but a seasoned family law attorney to perfect. Many other factors go into this calculation, such as having other children outside of this family or if the overnights by the non-residential parent are 40% or more (what we would now call “shared parenting time”). For this and many other reasons, it is essential to speak with an attorney to make sure the calculation is done correctly.
We Will Fight For Your Rights
Contact us now for a FREE CONSULTATION! You have nothing to lose, and chances are, we can put your mind at ease with the confidence that an experienced law firm is going to fight for your needs. Go on, fill out the form on this page or just pick up the phone and give us a call–we are available most days of the week until 10:00 p.m.–even on the weekends!
