Peoria Family Law Blog

Making sure that kids have everything they need is an essential part of being a parent, but things can get complicated after divorce. Maybe you are facing the adjustment of becoming a single income household or have to find a way to reenter the workforce. Illinois child support laws make sure that kids are not lost during this time of transition.

Illinois uses the Income Shares Model for determining which parent should receive child support, and for how much. This model does not just take a flat percentage of the paying parent's income. Instead, the court will use a formula to consider both you and your ex spouse's financial status.

Societal perception of prenuptial agreements has changed over recent years. These legally-binding agreements protect both parties should they decide to divorce, often addressing different topics such as property division and alimony. But there is another handy agreement that is often overlooked, even in marriages with significant business interests or complex marital property -- the postnuptial agreement.

The primary difference between prenuptial and postnuptial agreements comes down to the timing. A prenup is signed before marriage, and a postnup is signed after. Both types of agreements also generally address the same topics. However, many couples in Illinois find that postnups are useful in ways that prenups simply cannot fully cover.

Providing children with financial security and stability is important, and most Illinois parents do their best to do just that. For divorced parents, part of creating a financially stable life is by either paying or receiving child support. But what happens when one parent is no longer able to make his or her monthly payments? This can be a very scary situation, but there are options to make things work.

When someone no longer has the financial resources to meet his or her obligations, it is a good idea to request a modification of the support order. There are two ways in which a parent might get a modification. If a child support order was issued by the court, then it can only be modified through the judicial process. This means that the court would have to approve the request, although it will only do so if the parent has some kind of substantial change in his or her circumstances. For example, he or she might have unexpectedly lost a job.

Parents just want what is best for their kids, and that does not stop because of divorce. In fact, you might be even more focused on your child's best interests now. But what exactly are Illinois courts talking about when they say "best interests of the child?" While this can be up to interpretation, the court will look at some important factors when deciding what child custody arrangement is in your son or daughter's best interests.

The judge might consider you and your ex-spouse's wishes, especially since as parents you are most familiar with your child. Depending on your child's age, the judge might consider his or her wishes too. Those wishes may reflect your child's relationship with you, his or her other parent and other important people in his or her life. These kinds of relationships are important factors in considering your child's best interests.