Child Support Law Question

[bebe333]

What is the name of your state? Illinois

My husband was previously married. We are getting our case together and one thing we are unsure of is education costs.

1) Does Child Care cost (aka after school day care, babysitters, etc) count as education cost?

2) Is it mandatory by IL law that the Child Care costs be split evenly? Or is that something that is worked out in the parenting agreement?

We are trying to modify the child support and parenting agreement in our case. The education costs are listed in the parenting agreement and not in the support section of my husband's divorce decree.

If someone knows, we would greatly appreciate it.

 

[brisgirl825]

Child care is not an education cost and is split evenly between parents.

 

[stargazer0725]

Illinois child support amounts are determined solely on a percentage of your husband's disposable income and are used to cover necessities.

Since education costs are not included in the support document, they would be considered "extra" and would be contributed to based upon the split agreed to in the parenting plan. Education costs are for things like tuition, activity fees, etc. associated with private or public school education.

Child care is completely separate and is not necessarily split 50/50 - it just depends on how good a lawyer your husband and your husband's ex each have. The same applies to extra-curriculars too. In my case, I'm in a single-income state also and my child support is used to cover everything but uninsured medical expenses. I can ask my ex to help out with large incidentals, but he wouldn't have to contribute.