Illinois Family Law Insider

Illinois Divorce: How to Modify Child Support & Alimony - #47

Sterling Lawyers Episode 47

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0:00 | 22:31

You stopped paying support because you lost your job. Or you verbally agreed with your ex to lower payments. Now you're drowning in arrears and penalties. Illinois divorce doesn't end when judgment enters—and the biggest mistakes happen after court, when people think they can just change support without filing motions. Sterling Lawyers Managing Partner Katie VanDeusen and Senior Associate Attorney Lea Diaz reveal why verbal agreements mean nothing and how delayed filing destroys financial futures.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

  • Substantial change in circumstances required for child support modifications
  • Why maintenance may be completely non-modifiable based on the decree language
  • How filing date determines retroactive relief when judges grant it
  • Cohabitation trifecta requiring living together engagement and commingled finances
  • Critical mistakes like assuming income loss automatically allows stopping payments

Listen in to discover why child support is always modifiable while maintenance might not be, how to prove cohabitation when ex-spouse is living with new partner, why reading your divorce decree thoroughly prevents heart-wrenching surprises, and the biggest mistake of waiting too long to file modifications, accumulating massive arrears.