Wage garnishments affect many workers in Illinois, and they can have large negative impacts on both the workers and their employers. Complying with wage garnishment orders can be costly for employers, and workers with garnishments may have little left from their checks on which to survive.
Paying for back-to-school costs
After divorces are over, some Illinois parents may still have occasional disputes over small details that they didn't include in their parenting plans. One of these potential issues involves which parent should be responsible for paying the back-to-school expenses for their children. By crafting detailed parenting plans, these types of arguments might be avoided.
Calculators for child support
Illinois parents who are going through a divorce may use online child support calculators provided by the state to determine how much support a non-custodial parent will be obligated to pay. However, they should be aware that these calculators are not as reliable as they may think, and the actual child support amount ordered by a judge may be completely different from the estimate obtained from the calculator.
Child support agreements made outside of court
When Illinois parents of minor children decide that they no longer want to remain married, they must come to an agreement on child support. Two common ways to do this include informal negotiations and alternative dispute resolution processes. Both of these options occur outside the traditional courtroom setting, potentially making it easier for parents to work together for the benefit of their children.
Finding noncustodial parents for child support purposes
Some noncustodial parents of children in Illinois fail to pay child support, and locating them can sometimes be difficult. When custodial parents are trying to find the noncustodial parents, they can use some of the services that are provided through their state child support agencies.
Changes in Illinois child support calculations
Most non-custodial parents living in Illinois understand their obligation to support their children financially. In situations where parents cannot agree on an acceptable support payment amount, it is up to the courts to calculate the noncustodial parent's financial contribution. State law has been changed to allow for a different method of calculating these payment amounts.
Disabled parents and child support
When Illinois parents of young children divorce, the parent who does not have primary physical custody may be required to pay child support. Most parents take their financial responsibilities to their children seriously. However, sometimes life circumstances can make it difficult to pay child support. The circumstances include an illness or injury that makes it difficult to earn a living.
Federal law punishes deadbeat parents who move
After child support orders are issued in some Illinois cases, the parents who are ordered to pay child support try to do everything that they can to avoid their obligations. Some parents try to evade their child support orders by moving out of state. When they do, they may be punished under federal law.
Collecting overdue child support payments
Illinois parents who are embroiled in child support disputes with an ex-spouse should be aware that the obligation to pay a missed payment does not go away. This is true even after the child reaches the age of majority.
Child support rules for inmates revamped
Illinois parents who have custody of their children may be interested to learn that, based on new regulations that were issued by the Obama administration on Dec. 19, noncustodial parents who are incarcerated may be allowed to lower their child custody payments. Essentially, the rules were intended to help inmates avoid crippling debt that could cause them to become re-incarcerated.
