CHILD SUPPORT

When a parent fails to make child support payments, our firm can intervene on your behalf through enforcement of child support orders.  If you have lost your job or your income has decreased, you need to obtain a court order to allow you to reduce your child support obligation.  Conversely, if you are a custodial parent and the needs of your child have increased and the other parent has an increased ability to pay support, you have the right to seek an increase in child support payments.

You may also ask the court for contribution to day care, summer camp, private school tuition and extracurricular activities.

We handle enforcement and contempt cases involving parents who refuse to pay child support. We also handle cases where a parent is seeking an increase in child support.

Our firm has numerous years of experience in assisting individuals and their families in making legal changes to their personal lives.  We apply a common-sense approach to resolving client situations, with straightforward advice on their options and possible legal outcomes. We strive to empower each client by assisting them in making informed choices.  Contact our firm to discuss your divorce, custody, visitation or child support issue today.

For a consultation to discuss your case with an experienced lawyer, contact Law Offices of Annette M. Fernholz., P.C. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the Law Offices of Annette M. Fernholz, P.C. handles divorce and custody matters throughout Cook County, Lake County and DuPage County.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions about Child Support

Q: How is child support determined?

A: Each state has child support guidelines that are used as the foundation for determining the amount of child support owed. While guidelines vary from state to state, courts setting child support orders will generally follow the amount suggested by the guidelines unless exceptional circumstances exist - such as a child requiring extensive medical treatment. Most guidelines factor in the needs of the child, the relative ability of each parent to pay support and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed if the parents had remained together.

Q: Can I get child support if I never married my child's father?

A: Yes. Parents owe a duty to support their children not because they were married and divorced, but because they parented a child. You can work with an experienced family law attorney and/or your state's Child Support Enforcement office to obtain a support order. Since you were not married, you will have to prove paternity before a support order may be enforced.

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