•July 5, 2017•

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services announced today that the most widely used method nationwide to calculate child support will begin to be applied to new cases in Illinois starting July 1, following a bipartisan law signed by Governor Bruce Rauner last year. Child support orders established before July 1, 2017 will not change.

Under the “income shares” model, child support will be calculated primarily by looking at typical costs for families in similar circumstances. The income of both parents will also be factored in.

“With Illinois becoming the 40th state to adopt the income shares model, we will be using an approach that has become increasingly endorsed by experts and advocates in the field,” said Felicia Norwood, Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

Currently, child support in Illinois is calculated primarily based on the income of the obligor – the parent who owes payments – and the number of children.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.