What Are My Options for Enforcing Child Support in My Illinois Divorce?

 Posted on September 16, 2019 in Child Support

In a divorce, child-related issues can prove to be contentious, and disputes may arise over child support obligations. Whether raising a child with an absent parent or within an antagonistic relationship, single parents have long faced significant challenges when it comes to child support here in Illinois. While new state laws that went into effect in 2017 aimed to better protect the well-being of children in need, they also made support matters more complicated for many families, due to new calculations that the courts now use to determine financial responsibility. Regardless of the specific amount of support, the custodial parent relies on that money for expenses related to the upbringing of his or her child. In some cases, a parent may need to take legal action to collect the payments that are due.

Assistance for Obtaining Child Support Payments

If you currently find yourself in a situation where you are in need of child support but are not sure where to turn for answers, rest assured there is assistance available to help you. Here are a few examples of how an attorney can help secure the resources necessary to raise your child alone:

• Enforcement orders: An attorney can help you establish a child support order that will ensure that both parents are contributing financial support meant to meet children's needs. If a parent does not pay court-ordered child support, they may be held in contempt of court. Enforcement actions such as jail sentences or suspension of their driver's license may be put into effect to address a parent’s refusal to pay support.
• Paternity establishment and location services: An attorney can help establish paternity, ensuring that the child will be able to receive support from both legal parents. This can also ensure that the child will be able to receive benefits such as medical insurance, life insurance, or Social Security disability payments. If necessary, an attorney may be able to utilize a variety of Federal, local, and state resources to identify a missing parent’s whereabouts.
• Mediation: Despite their best efforts, not all parents manage to remain civil when discussing child support matters. Even the most basic interactions can quickly turn tense, making court proceedings especially difficult. Mediation is another route that attorneys can assist you with that helps facilitate a smoother process all the way around. A mediator acts as a neutral third party between parents to resolve child support disagreements.

Contact a Wheaton Family Law Attorney

Whether or not you have managed to come to a verbal agreement with your child’s mother or father, complications can and do arise, even under the most civil of circumstances. Sadly, verbal agreements are not always reliable. The pursuit of child support orders is best sought out with the help of a skilled family law attorney who is familiar with the intricate legal matters involved and capable of providing the necessary protection for the parent and child in need. Speak with a DuPage County child support lawyer to obtain support orders that protect your child’s best interests. Call A. Traub & Associates at 630-426-0196 today to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

https://www.dupageco.org/States_Attorney/1959/

https://www.dupageco.org/familycenter/