Hyde Park, IL Black Child Support Lawyers

Knowledgeable Lawyers Helping Black Parents Establish or Enforce Child Support in Hyde Park, Illinois

Parents will want to ensure that their children receive the financial support needed to address their ongoing expenses. For single parents, child support can be essential, but Black families in Hyde Park may face challenges as they establish child support orders or take steps to enforce a parent's financial obligations. At The Foray Hurst Firm, our attorneys provide legal representation for parents in these situations, helping to put fair and enforceable child support arrangements in place.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Illinois

Illinois uses an "income shares" model to determine the amount of child support that each parent will be required to pay. This model considers the combined income of both parents and the number of children involved, with the goal of maintaining the standard of living the child would have had if the parents lived together. The basic calculation includes the following components:

• Combined Parental Income: Both parents' incomes are added together.
• Percentage Share: Each parent's percentage of the combined income is calculated.
• Basic Support Obligation: The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services provides a chart that outlines the base amount of support required based on the total income and number of children. This amount is divided between the parents based on their percentage share of their combined income.
• Parenting Time Adjustments: If each parent has the child for at least 146 overnights per year, additional adjustments may be made to reflect shared parenting responsibilities.

Our attorneys can help parents understand the factors involved in these calculations. We will make sure all income sources are accounted for and that any necessary deductions are considered. We can make sure child support orders will also address child-related expenses, such as child care, health insurance, and educational costs.

Unique Challenges for Black Families in Child Support Cases

Black parents in Hyde Park may face various legal and financial challenges that can have an impact on child support orders. Parents who have children with more than one partner may need to take steps to establish multiple child support obligations. This may lead to overlapping financial demands, and courts must consider existing orders when determining new ones.

At The Foray Hurst Firm, we work with parents to:

• Coordinate Multiple Child Support Obligations: Our lawyers can make sure existing child support orders are properly documented so that calculations of new child support obligations will be performed correctly.
• Ensuring Fairness: We will help parents ensure that they will be able to provide for their children's financial needs without placing a parent in an impossible financial position.
• Modifying Child Support Orders: If a parent's circumstances have changed significantly, they may need to take steps to request modifications to existing child support orders. For example, the loss of a job or health issues that affect a parent's ability to work may allow for a reduction in their child support obligations.

Enforcing Child Support Orders in Hyde Park

When a parent does not pay child support as required, this can place an unfair burden on the other parent, and it can also negatively affect the child. Illinois law provides a range of child support enforcement tools to help ensure that children will receive the support they are owed. At The Foray Hurst Firm, we help parents collect unpaid child support through various methods, including:

• Wage Garnishment: The court may issue an order requiring a parent's employer to deduct child support payments from a paycheck and pay the amounts directly to the other parent.
• Tax Refund Interception: The state may intercept state and federal income tax refunds to collect past-due support.
• License Suspension: A parent's driver's license or professional license can be suspended for failure to pay support.
• Contempt Proceedings: If a parent willfully fails to comply with a court order, the court may impose fines or jail time.

Our lawyers can provide the representation needed during the enforcement process. We will file petitions, advocate for our clients during hearings, and work with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services as needed to recover overdue payments. We understand how delayed or unpaid support can affect parents and children, and we will help clients take steps to secure the financial resources their children deserve.

Contact Our Hyde Park Black Child Support Lawyers

If you need help establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support order, The Foray Hurst Firm is ready to advocate for your family. With a focus on supporting Black parents and helping them address real-world challenges, we can make sure their legal concerns will be resolved effectively. Contact our Hyde Park child support attorneys by calling 312-702-1293 to set up a consultation.