What is the Chicago child support calculator?

Both parents have a legal obligation to support their children financially after a divorce. If one parent has residential, or sole, custody, the law assumes that the parent housing the children is contributing to the needs of the children. The courts direct the non-custodial parent to pay the other parent a percentage of his or her income.

In Illinois, the payment is determined by the number of children and the net income of the parent. A parent of one child will be required to pay 20% of their net income, two children – 28% , three children – 32%, four children – 40%, five children – 45%, and six or more 50%. There is a free Illinois child support calculator available at AllLaw.com that can give an estimate of potential child support payments.

To use the calculator, you simply answer five questions then click calculate. The number of children involved, your monthly net income, the monthly cost of family health insurance that you pay, the amount of any child support you pay for children from a previous marriage, and the monthly alimony that you pay to a spouse from a previous marriage are used for the calculation.

The result that the calculator provides is strictly based on the general guidelines, and is for informational purposes only. The calculator does not consider possible adjustments, such as children who are living with one or the other parent, but are not part of the custody order. In some cases, the court may find that the guidelines are not in a child’s best interest, and will adjust the amount up or down accordingly. Talk to your divorce attorney for an informed estimate of the amount of support that the court is likely to award.

Your net income is your total income from all sources after the deductions below:

• State and Federal income tax
• Social security, union dues, and mandatory contributions to retirement
• Dependent insurance premiums
• Health or life preserving medical expenses
• Expenses necessary for the production of income
• Court mandated maintenance or support payments from a prior obligation
• Reasonable expenses benefitting the child or other parent

For the wellbeing of your child, and your financial situation, consult an experienced Chicago divorce attorney today, call (847) 520-8100 for immediate assistance.