Child Support Law Strengthened

Upset parents

The goal in determining and providing child support is to ensure that every child receives the financial support necessary to enable them to lead a happy and healthy life regardless of the marital status of their parents.

There are legal guidelines used to determine the percentage of income owed by the non-custodial parent to the primary or custodial parent but often, due to bitterness or hatred on the part of the parents, child support goes unpaid. Then the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Illinois Attorney General’s office may be forced to step in to mediate and enforce child support payments.

A new law, (SB 3549/PA 97-1029), went into effect this year that offers an additional tool to assist the Courts in pursuing child support from a non-custodial parent who has been found guilty of failure to comply with an order to pay child support. This law is aimed at parents whose wages cannot be garnished because they are self-employed. The court can now require these individuals provide monthly financial statements, and detailed written reports regarding their job search efforts, as well as require them to report to the Department of Employment Security for job search services so that they can obtain employment in order to pay child support. Illinois wants to insure that parents participate in supporting their children.