Illinois Family Law Insider
All about navigating Family Law in Illinois — your trusted source for expert answers on divorce, child custody, support calculations, and all family legal matters. Each episode features Managing Partner Katie Vandeusen having meaningful conversations with our seasoned attorneys who break down complex issues into practical guidance.
We exclusively focus on Illinois family law, translating complicated statutes and procedures into clear, actionable information. Our discussions address the real concerns faced by Illinois families, providing insights whether you're in the midst of a legal situation or simply want to understand your rights.
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Illinois Family Law Insider
Illinois Child Support: How to Protect Yourself in Court - #85
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Illinois child support has four inputs: both incomes, number of kids, overnights, and add-on expenses. Most parents focus on the first two. The variable that shifts the payment most by hundreds of dollars per month is overnights. The 146-overnight threshold changes the formula itself, and most parents negotiate their parenting schedule without knowing that.
In this episode, Attorney Cynthia Toscano breaks down exactly how the formula works, which inputs you can influence, and the one threshold most parents discover too late.
In this episode:
- How the Income Shares Model works: four inputs, proportional shares, and the state's obligation schedule
- The 146-overnight threshold that switches the formula from standard to shared parenting — and why one overnight can mean hundreds of dollars per month
- Why even 50/50 custody can still result in child support when there's an income gap
- What counts as income in Illinois: wages, bonuses, self-employment, imputed income for voluntary unemployment, and 3–5 year averaging for variable earners
- The add-ons that push total support above the base number: health insurance, childcare, medical expenses, and extraordinary costs
- How to use Sterling's calculator to run your own ballpark estimate before meeting with an attorney
If you want to understand how the formula applies to your specific income, parenting schedule, and expenses, call Sterling Lawyers at (312) 778-5711 or visit sterlinglawyers.com to schedule a consultation.