Looking for affordable legal help, but unsure where to begin? Tap through to see the main child support problems we can help with. Scroll down to see plan language definitions of important terms.
Starting a Child Support Case
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Changing a Child Support Order
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Enforcing a Child Support Order
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College Expenses
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Definitions
IV-D Program
The IV-D program, otherwise known as child support enforcement services, is a social service program run by the Illinois Department of Family Services (HFS).Parents enrolled in the IV-D program are given free assistance with: establishing a parent's legal paternity, issuing an administrative child support order, and/or enforcing a
Unallocated child support is a type of child support payment one can be ordered to pay or receive through a legally-binding child support order. If you are ordered to pay unallocated child support by a judge in court, all of your payments are tax-deductible.All other kinds of child support payments are NOT tax-deductible for the paying parent, nor
Terminating a child support order is the process through which a child support order is declared null and void. Once a child support order is terminated, no future child support payments are owed for the child(s) on the order.Generally speaking, there are two valid reasons to terminate a child support order:the child(s) on the order is over the age
Temporary maintenance (alimony) refers to payments made to your spouse or partner while the two of you are getting or currently are legally separated, OR are in the process of getting a divorce or dissolving your civil union.
Temporary child support refers to a type of child support payment to be made to your spouse or partner while the two of you are legally separated, and/or are currently in the process of dissolving your marriage (divorce) or dissolving your civil union.Generally speaking, a spouse or partner will only be ordered to pay temporary child support if bot
If you have been ordered to pay maintenance (alimony) and you fail to make an alimony payment on time, the amount that was owed will become past-due maintenance. Unless the past-due maintenance is paid off, the next child support order you receive will show that you owe both the current alimony payments plus the past-due alimony. In Illinois, past
If you have been ordered to pay child support, and you fail to make a child support payment on time, the amount that was owed will become past-due child support (arrears). Unless the past-due child support is paid off, the next child support order you receive will show that you owe both the current child support payments plus the amount that is pas
If you have been ordered to pay cash medical support and you fail to make a payment on time, the amount that was owed will become past-due cash medical support. Unless the past-due cash medical support is paid off, the next child support order you receive will show that you owe both the current cash medical support payments plus the past-due cash m
Modifying a child support order is the process through which certain aspects of a previously issued child support order are changed, and a new child support order is created. There are two main reasons for modifying a child support order:1. Modifying the $ amount of child support owed (including alimony and cash-medical support)Depending on the cir
Maintenance (alimony) refers to a financial contribution to your spouse or partner while or after you have gotten a divorce, dissolution of civil union, or legally separated.Like other child support payments, maintenance will become past-due maintenance if the paying ex fails to make payments on time.The amount an ex is ordered to pay in maintenanc
A judicial child support order is a legally-binding child support order that is entered by a judge in court. This means that in order to modify, enforce, or terminate a judicial child support order, you will need to file a notice motion to the other parent and have your case heard by a judge.If you have a copy of your child support order, you can t
Income withholding is a method of child support collection. A notice of income withholding legally requires an employer to withhold a certain amount of income made by a parent paying child support from their paycheck. The income that is withheld should equal the amount of current child support owed, and sometimes plus the amount of past-due child s
The Illinois State's Disbursement Unit (SDU) processes all child support payments. If you have been ordered to pay child support, you may be required to make your payments directly to the SDU. You can visit their website here to view information about your case, including your payment history. In order to find out to whom child support is owed
If you are the custodial parent of a child that is over the age of 17 and/or has graduated high school that plans on enrolling, or is currently enrolled in college or another post-secondary educational institution, you may be able to receive financial assistance from the child's non-custodial parent with college expenses.Expenses that can be covere
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is an administrative agency with two primary functions: Providing Medicaid coverage to those who qualify; and Child support enforcement services through their IV-D program Enrolling in the IV-D program gives HFS the right to establish legal parentage, as well as enter and enforce an
Current child support is the amount that you have been ordered to pay on a regular basis as part of a child support order. In contrast, past-due child support is the amount one is ordered to to pay if one fails to make a current child support payment on time. If one still owes current child support after failing to make a payment, the past-due
A child support order is a legally-binding court order requiring a legal parent of a child, typically the child's non-custodial parent, to make a certain amount of child support payments on a regular basis. There are two types of child support orders: judicial child support orders, and administrative child support orders. The main difference betw
Child support refers to payments made by one legal parent of a child(s) to the other legal parent towards the cost of caring for and raising a minor child. Generally speaking, the parent that makes child support payments is called the child's non-custodial parent, while the parent that receives payments is called the custodial parent. A child sup
Cash medical support is a type of child support payment one can be ordered to pay or receive through a legally-binding child support order. If you are ordered to pay cash medical support, that means you have been ordered to pay a certain amount to reimburse the cost of medical services covered by Medicaid for the child. Like all other forms of chi
An administrative child support order is a legally-binding child support order that is issued by the Department of Family Services (HFS). This means that in order to modify, enforce, or terminate an administrative child support order, one should either call HFS or visit their downtown office. If you are the custodial parent of a child or are recei