How is Child Support Calculated When a Parent Has More Than One Child?

 Posted on June 29, 2020 in Child Custody

When divorcing or unmarried individuals have children together, one parent is typically ordered to pay child support to the other. This helps fairly divide the costs of raising the child and ensures that the child receives the same level of financial support that he or she would have received if the parents were married. The parent with the majority of parenting time, often called the custodial parent, is the recipient of child support while the parent with less parenting time is the payor of child support. However, things can become more complicated if the payor parent has more than one child support obligation.

Income Shares Method for Calculating Child Support

Illinois currently uses the Income Shares method to determine child support. This calculation method differs significantly from the way Illinois previously calculated child support. Instead of child support payment amounts being based solely on the supporting parent’s income, the Income Shares model takes both parents’ incomes into account. First, each parent’s net income is determined. Next, the parents’ combined net income and the number of children needing support are used to determine the “basic support obligation.” This is the total amount of support the children should receive from both parents. This total is then divided between the parents based on each parent’s percentage of the combined net income. In situations involving shared parenting, meaning each parent has the child for 146 or more nights a year, each parent’s parenting time is also factored into child support calculations.

Determining Net Income For Child Support Calculations

The Income Shares model for child support calculation uses each parent’s net income. Net income is determined by taking the parent’s gross income and deducting income tax, health insurance premiums, and any spousal support or child support obligations. This means that if a parent already has a child support obligation, the amount he or she currently pays in child support is deducted from his or her income for the purposes of calculating a new child support obligation. For example, if a father pays $6,000 a month in child support and has an income of $50,000 a year, the income used to calculate a new child support obligation would be $44,000.

Contact an Arlington Heights, IL Child Support Lawyer

Child support calculations can become complicated – especially if a parent has more than one child support obligation. For help establishing child support, changing a current child support order, or collecting child support from a non-paying parent, contact A. Traub & Associates. Call our office today at 847-749-4182 to schedule a confidential consultation with a skilled Arlington Heights, IL divorce attorney.

Sources:

https://www.illinois.gov/hfs/SiteCollectionDocuments/img4101535270001.pdf

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=075000050K505