In a divorce case, child support is awarded to the custodial parent pursuant to the state of Illinois statutory guidelines for support. That support typically terminates upon emancipation of the minor child. However, there is a provision in the Illinois marriage and dissolution of marriage act, section 513, which talks about post high school educational expenses. This video talks about how those costs and expenses are allocated between parents who have gone through the divorce process. The court will certainly look at the parties assets and ability to pay going forward.
Attorney Jesse Barrientes tackles this tough question which often involves litigation. With the increasing cost of college, the percentage that one pays can mean a big difference in the total out-of-pocket expenditure. Multiply this by the fact that there may be multiple children in college at the same time, you can see where the importance of getting a fair award as to who pays what and how much is critical.