Child Support and Remarriage in Illinois

Article written by Illinois Attorney Kevin O’Flaherty

In this article, we explain the impact of remarriage on Illinois child support obligations. We answer the questions, “how is child support calculated in Illinois?”, “what happens if the parent paying child support gets remarried?”, “what happens if the recipient of child support gets remarried?”, and “does remarriage impact parental resources for the purpose of child support for college education?”

How is Child Support Calculated in Illinois?

In Illinois, child support is calculated by determining the total amount of child support for which the parents are collectively responsible based on economic tables that factor in geography, the total income of the parents, and the number of children involved.

The responsibility for paying this total amount is divided between the parents based on the net income of the parents relative to one another. The more the parent paying child support (“the obligor”) makes relative to the recipient, the more he or she can expect to pay in child support.

In shared parenting situations, the total amount of child support for which the couple is responsible increases, but the amount of time spent with the child is factored into the analysis. The more time the obligor spends with care of the child, the less he or she can expect to pay.