Bill Text: IL HB4074 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that when maintenance or child support is paid through the clerk of the circuit court in a county of 500,000 inhabitants or less, the order shall direct the obligor to pay to the clerk all fees imposed by the county board under a debt collection provision of the Clerks of Court Act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-05-09 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB4074 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HB4074-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning civil law.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Marriage Act is amended by changing Sections 504 and 505 as | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | follows:
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7 | (750 ILCS 5/504) (from Ch. 40, par. 504)
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8 | Sec. 504. Maintenance.
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9 | (a) Entitlement to maintenance. In a proceeding for | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | dissolution of marriage, legal separation,
declaration of | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | invalidity of marriage, or dissolution of a civil union, a | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | proceeding for maintenance
following a legal separation or | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | dissolution of the marriage or civil union by a court which | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | lacked personal
jurisdiction over the absent spouse, a | |||||||||||||||||||||
15 | proceeding for modification of a previous order for | |||||||||||||||||||||
16 | maintenance under Section 510 of this Act, or any proceeding | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | authorized under Section 501 of this Act, the court may grant a | |||||||||||||||||||||
18 | maintenance award for either spouse in amounts and for periods | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | of
time as the court deems just, without regard to marital | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | misconduct, and the maintenance may
be paid from the income or | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | property of the other spouse. The court shall first make a | |||||||||||||||||||||
22 | finding as to whether a maintenance award is appropriate, | |||||||||||||||||||||
23 | after consideration
of all relevant factors, including:
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1 | (1) the income and property of each party, including | ||||||
2 | marital property
apportioned and non-marital property | ||||||
3 | assigned to the party seeking maintenance as well as all | ||||||
4 | financial obligations imposed on the parties as a result | ||||||
5 | of the dissolution of marriage;
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6 | (2) the needs of each party;
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7 | (3) the realistic present and future earning capacity | ||||||
8 | of each party;
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9 | (4) any impairment of the present and future earning | ||||||
10 | capacity of the
party seeking maintenance due to that | ||||||
11 | party devoting time to domestic
duties or having forgone | ||||||
12 | or delayed education, training,
employment, or
career | ||||||
13 | opportunities due to the marriage;
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14 | (5) any impairment of the realistic present or future | ||||||
15 | earning capacity of the party against whom maintenance is | ||||||
16 | sought; | ||||||
17 | (6) the time necessary to enable the party seeking | ||||||
18 | maintenance to
acquire appropriate education, training, | ||||||
19 | and employment, and whether that
party is able to support | ||||||
20 | himself or herself through appropriate employment;
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21 | (6.1) the effect of any parental responsibility | ||||||
22 | arrangements and its effect on a party's ability to seek | ||||||
23 | or maintain employment;
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24 | (7) the standard of living established during the | ||||||
25 | marriage;
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26 | (8) the duration of the marriage;
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1 | (9) the age, health, station, occupation, amount and | ||||||
2 | sources of income, vocational skills, employability, | ||||||
3 | estate, liabilities, and the needs of each of the parties;
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4 | (10) all sources of public and private income | ||||||
5 | including, without limitation, disability and retirement | ||||||
6 | income; | ||||||
7 | (11) the tax consequences to each party;
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8 | (12) contributions and services by the party seeking | ||||||
9 | maintenance to
the education, training, career or career | ||||||
10 | potential, or license of the
other spouse;
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11 | (13) any valid agreement of the parties; and
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12 | (14) any other factor that the court expressly finds | ||||||
13 | to be just and
equitable.
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14 | (b) (Blank).
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15 | (b-1) Amount and duration of maintenance. Unless the court | ||||||
16 | finds that a maintenance award is appropriate, it shall bar | ||||||
17 | maintenance as to the party seeking maintenance regardless of | ||||||
18 | the length of the marriage at the time the action was | ||||||
19 | commenced. Only if the court finds that a maintenance award is | ||||||
20 | appropriate, the court shall order guideline maintenance in | ||||||
21 | accordance with paragraph (1) or non-guideline maintenance in | ||||||
22 | accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection (b-1). If the | ||||||
23 | application of guideline maintenance results in a combined | ||||||
24 | maintenance and child support obligation that exceeds 50% of | ||||||
25 | the payor's net income, the court may determine non-guideline | ||||||
26 | maintenance in accordance with paragraph (2) of this |
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1 | subsection (b-1), non-guideline child support in accordance | ||||||
2 | with paragraph (3.4) of subsection (a) of Section 505, or | ||||||
3 | both. | ||||||
4 | (1) Maintenance award in accordance with guidelines. | ||||||
5 | If the combined gross annual income of the parties is less | ||||||
6 | than $500,000 and the payor has no obligation to pay child | ||||||
7 | support or maintenance or both from a prior relationship, | ||||||
8 | maintenance payable after the date the parties' marriage | ||||||
9 | is dissolved shall be in accordance with subparagraphs (A) | ||||||
10 | and (B) of this paragraph (1), unless the court makes a | ||||||
11 | finding that the application of the guidelines would be | ||||||
12 | inappropriate. | ||||||
13 | (A) The amount of maintenance under this paragraph | ||||||
14 | (1) shall be calculated by taking 33 1/3% of the | ||||||
15 | payor's net annual income minus 25% of the payee's net | ||||||
16 | annual income. The amount calculated as maintenance, | ||||||
17 | however, when added to the net income of the payee, | ||||||
18 | shall not result in the payee receiving an amount that | ||||||
19 | is in excess of 40% of the combined net income of the | ||||||
20 | parties. | ||||||
21 | (A-1) Modification of maintenance orders entered | ||||||
22 | before January 1, 2019 that are and continue to be | ||||||
23 | eligible for inclusion in the gross income of the | ||||||
24 | payee for federal income tax purposes and deductible | ||||||
25 | by the payor shall be calculated by taking 30% of the | ||||||
26 | payor's gross annual income minus 20% of the payee's |
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1 | gross annual income, unless both parties expressly | ||||||
2 | provide otherwise in the modification order. The | ||||||
3 | amount calculated as maintenance, however, when added | ||||||
4 | to the gross income of the payee, may not result in the | ||||||
5 | payee receiving an amount that is in excess of 40% of | ||||||
6 | the combined gross income of the parties. | ||||||
7 | (B) The duration of an award under this paragraph | ||||||
8 | (1) shall be calculated by multiplying the length of | ||||||
9 | the marriage at the time the action was commenced by | ||||||
10 | whichever of
the following factors applies: less than | ||||||
11 | 5 years (.20); 5 years or more but less than 6 years | ||||||
12 | (.24); 6 years or more but less than 7
years (.28); 7 | ||||||
13 | years or more but less than 8
years (.32); 8 years or | ||||||
14 | more but less than 9
years (.36); 9 years or more but | ||||||
15 | less than 10 years (.40); 10 years or more but less | ||||||
16 | than 11
years (.44); 11 years or more but less than 12
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17 | years (.48); 12 years or more but less than 13
years | ||||||
18 | (.52); 13 years or more but less than 14
years (.56); | ||||||
19 | 14 years or more but less than 15
years (.60); 15 years | ||||||
20 | or more but less than 16
years (.64); 16 years or more | ||||||
21 | but less than 17
years (.68); 17 years or more but less | ||||||
22 | than 18
years (.72); 18 years or more but less than 19
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23 | years (.76); 19 years or more but less than 20
years | ||||||
24 | (.80). For a marriage of 20 or more years, the court, | ||||||
25 | in its discretion, shall order maintenance for a | ||||||
26 | period equal to the length of the
marriage or for an |
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1 | indefinite term. | ||||||
2 | (1.5) In the discretion of the court, any term of | ||||||
3 | temporary maintenance paid by court order under Section | ||||||
4 | 501 may be a corresponding credit to the duration of | ||||||
5 | maintenance set forth in subparagraph (b-1)(1)(B). | ||||||
6 | (2) Maintenance award not in accordance with | ||||||
7 | guidelines. Any non-guidelines award of maintenance shall | ||||||
8 | be made after the court's consideration of all relevant | ||||||
9 | factors set forth in subsection (a) of this Section. | ||||||
10 | (b-2) Findings. In each case involving the issue of | ||||||
11 | maintenance, the court shall make specific findings of fact, | ||||||
12 | as follows: | ||||||
13 | (1) the court shall state its reasoning for awarding | ||||||
14 | or not awarding maintenance and shall include references | ||||||
15 | to each relevant factor set forth in subsection (a) of | ||||||
16 | this Section; | ||||||
17 | (2) if the court deviates from applicable guidelines | ||||||
18 | under paragraph (1) of subsection (b-1), it shall state in | ||||||
19 | its findings the amount of maintenance (if determinable) | ||||||
20 | or duration that would have been required under the | ||||||
21 | guidelines and the reasoning for any variance from the | ||||||
22 | guidelines; and | ||||||
23 | (3) the court shall state whether the maintenance is | ||||||
24 | fixed-term, indefinite, reviewable, or reserved by the | ||||||
25 | court. | ||||||
26 | (b-3) Gross income. For purposes of this Section, the term |
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1 | "gross income" means all income from all sources, within the | ||||||
2 | scope of that phrase in Section 505 of this Act, except | ||||||
3 | maintenance payments in the pending proceedings shall not be | ||||||
4 | included. | ||||||
5 | (b-3.5) Net income. As used in this Section, "net income" | ||||||
6 | has the meaning provided in Section 505 of this Act, except | ||||||
7 | maintenance payments in the pending proceedings shall not be | ||||||
8 | included. | ||||||
9 | (b-4) Modification of maintenance orders entered before | ||||||
10 | January 1, 2019. For any order for maintenance or unallocated | ||||||
11 | maintenance and child support entered before January 1, 2019 | ||||||
12 | that is modified after December 31, 2018, payments thereunder | ||||||
13 | shall continue to retain the same tax treatment for federal | ||||||
14 | income tax purposes unless both parties expressly agree | ||||||
15 | otherwise and the agreement is included in the modification | ||||||
16 | order. | ||||||
17 | (b-4.5) Maintenance designation. | ||||||
18 | (1) Fixed-term maintenance. If a court grants | ||||||
19 | maintenance for a fixed term, the court shall designate | ||||||
20 | the termination of the period during which this | ||||||
21 | maintenance is to be paid. Maintenance is barred after the | ||||||
22 | end of the period during which fixed-term maintenance is | ||||||
23 | to be paid. | ||||||
24 | (2) Indefinite maintenance. If a court grants | ||||||
25 | maintenance for an indefinite term, the court shall not | ||||||
26 | designate a termination date. Indefinite maintenance shall |
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1 | continue until modification or termination under Section | ||||||
2 | 510. | ||||||
3 | (3) Reviewable maintenance. If a court grants | ||||||
4 | maintenance for a specific term with a review, the court | ||||||
5 | shall designate the period of the specific term and state | ||||||
6 | that the maintenance is reviewable. Upon review, the court | ||||||
7 | shall make a finding in accordance with subdivision (b-8) | ||||||
8 | of this Section, unless the maintenance is modified or | ||||||
9 | terminated under Section 510. | ||||||
10 | (b-5) Interest on maintenance. Any maintenance obligation | ||||||
11 | including any unallocated maintenance and child support | ||||||
12 | obligation, or any portion of any support obligation, that | ||||||
13 | becomes due and remains unpaid shall accrue simple interest as | ||||||
14 | set forth in Section 505 of this Act.
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15 | (b-7) Maintenance judgments. Any new or existing | ||||||
16 | maintenance order including any unallocated maintenance and | ||||||
17 | child support order entered by the court under this Section | ||||||
18 | shall be deemed to be a series of judgments against the person | ||||||
19 | obligated to pay support thereunder. Each such judgment to be | ||||||
20 | in the amount of each payment or installment of support and | ||||||
21 | each such judgment to be deemed entered as of the date the | ||||||
22 | corresponding payment or installment becomes due under the | ||||||
23 | terms of the support order, except no judgment shall arise as | ||||||
24 | to any installment coming due after the termination of | ||||||
25 | maintenance as provided by Section 510 of the Illinois | ||||||
26 | Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act or the provisions of |
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1 | any order for maintenance. Each such judgment shall have the | ||||||
2 | full force, effect and attributes of any other judgment of | ||||||
3 | this State, including the ability to be enforced. | ||||||
4 | Notwithstanding any other State or local law to the contrary, | ||||||
5 | a lien arises by operation of law against the real and personal | ||||||
6 | property of the obligor for each installment of overdue | ||||||
7 | support owed by the obligor. | ||||||
8 | (b-8) Review of maintenance. Upon review of any previously | ||||||
9 | ordered maintenance award, the court may extend maintenance | ||||||
10 | for further review, extend maintenance for a fixed | ||||||
11 | non-modifiable term, extend maintenance for an indefinite | ||||||
12 | term, or permanently terminate maintenance in accordance with | ||||||
13 | subdivision (b-1)(1)(A) of this Section. | ||||||
14 | (c) Maintenance during an appeal. The court may grant and | ||||||
15 | enforce the payment of maintenance during
the pendency of an | ||||||
16 | appeal as the court shall deem reasonable and proper.
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17 | (d) Maintenance during imprisonment. No maintenance shall | ||||||
18 | accrue during the period in which a party is
imprisoned for | ||||||
19 | failure to comply with the court's order for the payment of
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20 | such maintenance.
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21 | (e) Fees when maintenance is paid through the clerk. When | ||||||
22 | maintenance is to be paid through the clerk of the court in a
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23 | county of 500,000 inhabitants or less, the order shall direct | ||||||
24 | the obligor
to pay to the clerk, in addition to the maintenance | ||||||
25 | payments, all fees
imposed by the county board under paragraph | ||||||
26 | (2) of subsection (j-5) of Section 27.1b paragraph (4) of |
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1 | subsection (bb) of
Section 27.1a of the Clerks of Courts Act. | ||||||
2 | When maintenance is to be paid through the clerk of the court | ||||||
3 | in a
county of more than 500,000 but less than 3,000,000 | ||||||
4 | inhabitants, the order shall direct the obligor
to pay to the | ||||||
5 | clerk, in addition to the maintenance payments, all fees
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6 | imposed by the county board under paragraph (4) of subsection | ||||||
7 | (bb) of
Section 27.2 of the Clerks of Courts Act. Unless paid | ||||||
8 | in cash or pursuant
to an order for withholding, the payment of | ||||||
9 | the fee shall be by a separate
instrument from the support | ||||||
10 | payment and shall be made to the order of
the Clerk.
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11 | (f) Maintenance secured by life insurance. An award | ||||||
12 | ordered by a court upon entry of a dissolution judgment or upon | ||||||
13 | entry of an award of maintenance following a reservation of | ||||||
14 | maintenance in a dissolution judgment may be reasonably | ||||||
15 | secured, in whole or in part, by life insurance on the
payor's | ||||||
16 | life on terms as to which the parties agree or, if the parties | ||||||
17 | do not agree, on such terms determined by the court,
subject to | ||||||
18 | the following: | ||||||
19 | (1) With respect to existing life insurance, provided | ||||||
20 | the court is apprised through evidence,
stipulation, or | ||||||
21 | otherwise as to level of death benefits, premium, and | ||||||
22 | other relevant
data and makes findings relative thereto, | ||||||
23 | the court may allocate death benefits, the right
to assign | ||||||
24 | death benefits, or the obligation for future premium | ||||||
25 | payments between the
parties as it deems just. | ||||||
26 | (2) To the extent the court determines that its award |
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1 | should be secured, in whole or in part,
by new life | ||||||
2 | insurance on the payor's life, the court may only order: | ||||||
3 | (i) that the payor cooperate on all appropriate | ||||||
4 | steps for the payee to obtain
such new life insurance; | ||||||
5 | and | ||||||
6 | (ii) that the payee, at his or her sole option and | ||||||
7 | expense, may obtain such new life
insurance on the | ||||||
8 | payor's life up to a maximum level of death benefit | ||||||
9 | coverage,
or descending death benefit coverage, as is | ||||||
10 | set by the court, such level not to exceed a reasonable
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11 | amount in light of the court's award, with the payee or | ||||||
12 | the
payee's designee being the beneficiary of such | ||||||
13 | life insurance. | ||||||
14 | In determining the maximum level of death benefit | ||||||
15 | coverage, the court shall take into account all relevant | ||||||
16 | facts and circumstances, including the impact on access to | ||||||
17 | life insurance by the maintenance payor. If in resolving | ||||||
18 | any issues under paragraph (2) of this subsection (f) a | ||||||
19 | court reviews any submitted or proposed application for | ||||||
20 | new insurance on the life of a maintenance payor, the | ||||||
21 | review shall be in camera. | ||||||
22 | (3) (Blank). | ||||||
23 | (Source: P.A. 99-90, eff. 1-1-16; 99-763, eff. 1-1-17; | ||||||
24 | 100-520, eff. 1-1-18 (see Section 5 of P.A. 100-565 for the | ||||||
25 | effective date of P.A. 100-520); 100-923, eff. 1-1-19 .)
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1 | (750 ILCS 5/505) (from Ch. 40, par. 505)
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2 | Sec. 505. Child support; contempt; penalties.
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3 | (a) In a proceeding for dissolution of marriage, legal | ||||||
4 | separation,
declaration of invalidity of marriage, or | ||||||
5 | dissolution of a civil union, a proceeding for child support
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6 | following a legal separation or dissolution of the marriage or | ||||||
7 | civil union by a court that lacked personal
jurisdiction over | ||||||
8 | the absent spouse, a proceeding for modification of a
previous | ||||||
9 | order for child support under Section 510 of this Act, or any
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10 | proceeding authorized under Section 501 or 601 of this Act, | ||||||
11 | the court may
order either or both parents owing a duty of | ||||||
12 | support to a child of the
marriage or civil union to pay an | ||||||
13 | amount reasonable and necessary for support. The duty of | ||||||
14 | support owed to a child
includes the obligation to provide for | ||||||
15 | the reasonable and necessary physical, mental and emotional | ||||||
16 | health needs of the child.
For purposes of this Section, the | ||||||
17 | term "child" shall include any child under
age 18 and
any child | ||||||
18 | age 19 or younger who is still attending high school. For | ||||||
19 | purposes of this Section, the term "obligor" means the parent | ||||||
20 | obligated to pay support to the other parent.
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21 | (1) Child support guidelines. The Illinois Department | ||||||
22 | of Healthcare and Family Services shall adopt rules | ||||||
23 | establishing child support guidelines which include | ||||||
24 | worksheets to aid in the calculation of the child support | ||||||
25 | obligations and a schedule of basic child support | ||||||
26 | obligations that reflects the percentage of combined net |
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1 | income that parents living in the same household in this | ||||||
2 | State ordinarily spend on their child. The child support | ||||||
3 | guidelines have the following purposes: | ||||||
4 | (A) to establish as State policy an adequate | ||||||
5 | standard of support for a child, subject to the | ||||||
6 | ability of parents to pay; | ||||||
7 | (B) to make child support obligations more | ||||||
8 | equitable by ensuring more consistent treatment of | ||||||
9 | parents in similar circumstances; | ||||||
10 | (C) to improve the efficiency of the court process | ||||||
11 | by promoting settlements and giving courts and the | ||||||
12 | parties guidance in establishing levels of child | ||||||
13 | support; | ||||||
14 | (D) to calculate child support based upon the | ||||||
15 | parents' combined net income estimated to have been | ||||||
16 | allocated for the support of the child if the parents | ||||||
17 | and child were living in an intact household; | ||||||
18 | (E) to adjust child support based upon the needs | ||||||
19 | of the child;
and | ||||||
20 | (F) to allocate the amount of child support to be | ||||||
21 | paid by each parent based upon a parent's net income | ||||||
22 | and the child's physical care arrangements. | ||||||
23 | (1.5) Computation of basic child support obligation. | ||||||
24 | The court shall compute the basic child support obligation | ||||||
25 | by taking the following steps: | ||||||
26 | (A) determine each parent's monthly net income; |
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1 | (B) add the parents' monthly net incomes together | ||||||
2 | to determine the combined monthly net income of the | ||||||
3 | parents; | ||||||
4 | (C) select the corresponding appropriate amount | ||||||
5 | from the schedule of basic child support obligations | ||||||
6 | based on the parties' combined monthly net income and | ||||||
7 | number of children of the parties; and | ||||||
8 | (D) calculate each parent's percentage share of | ||||||
9 | the basic child support obligation. | ||||||
10 | Although a monetary obligation is computed for each | ||||||
11 | parent as child support, the receiving parent's share is | ||||||
12 | not payable to the other parent and is presumed to be spent | ||||||
13 | directly on the child. | ||||||
14 | (2) Duty of support. The court shall determine child | ||||||
15 | support in each case by applying the child support | ||||||
16 | guidelines unless the court makes a finding that | ||||||
17 | application of the guidelines would be inappropriate, | ||||||
18 | after considering the best interests of the child and | ||||||
19 | evidence which shows relevant factors including, but not | ||||||
20 | limited to, one or more of the following: | ||||||
21 | (A) the financial resources and needs of the | ||||||
22 | child; | ||||||
23 | (B) the financial resources and needs of the | ||||||
24 | parents; | ||||||
25 | (C) the standard of living the child would have | ||||||
26 | enjoyed had the marriage or civil union not been |
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1 | dissolved; and | ||||||
2 | (D) the physical and emotional condition of the | ||||||
3 | child and his or her educational needs. | ||||||
4 | (3) Income. | ||||||
5 | (A) As used in this Section, "gross income" means | ||||||
6 | the total of all income from all sources, except | ||||||
7 | "gross income" does not include (i) benefits received | ||||||
8 | by the parent from means-tested public assistance | ||||||
9 | programs, including, but not limited to, Temporary | ||||||
10 | Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security | ||||||
11 | Income, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance | ||||||
12 | Program or (ii) benefits and income received by the | ||||||
13 | parent for other children in the household, including, | ||||||
14 | but not limited to, child support, survivor benefits, | ||||||
15 | and foster care payments. Social security disability | ||||||
16 | and retirement benefits paid for the benefit of the | ||||||
17 | subject child must be included in the disabled or | ||||||
18 | retired parent's gross income for purposes of | ||||||
19 | calculating the parent's child support obligation, but | ||||||
20 | the parent is entitled to a child support credit for | ||||||
21 | the amount of benefits paid to the other party for the | ||||||
22 | child. "Gross income" includes maintenance treated as | ||||||
23 | taxable income for federal income tax purposes to the | ||||||
24 | payee and received pursuant to a court order in the | ||||||
25 | pending proceedings or any other proceedings and shall | ||||||
26 | be included in the payee's gross income for purposes |
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1 | of calculating the parent's child support obligation. | ||||||
2 | (B) As used in this Section, "net income" means | ||||||
3 | gross income minus either the standardized tax amount | ||||||
4 | calculated pursuant to subparagraph (C) of this | ||||||
5 | paragraph (3) or the individualized tax amount | ||||||
6 | calculated pursuant to subparagraph (D) of this | ||||||
7 | paragraph (3), and minus any adjustments pursuant to | ||||||
8 | subparagraph (F) of this paragraph (3). The | ||||||
9 | standardized tax amount shall be used unless the | ||||||
10 | requirements for an individualized tax amount set | ||||||
11 | forth in subparagraph (E) of this paragraph (3) are | ||||||
12 | met. "Net income" includes maintenance not includable | ||||||
13 | in the gross taxable income of the payee for federal | ||||||
14 | income tax purposes under a court order in the pending | ||||||
15 | proceedings or any other proceedings and shall be | ||||||
16 | included in the payee's net income for purposes of | ||||||
17 | calculating the parent's child support obligation. | ||||||
18 | (C) As used in this Section, "standardized tax | ||||||
19 | amount" means the total of federal and state income | ||||||
20 | taxes for a single person claiming the standard tax | ||||||
21 | deduction, one personal exemption, and the applicable | ||||||
22 | number of dependency exemptions for the minor child or | ||||||
23 | children of the parties, and Social Security and | ||||||
24 | Medicare tax calculated at the Federal Insurance | ||||||
25 | Contributions Act rate. | ||||||
26 | (I) Unless a court has determined otherwise or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the parties otherwise agree, the party with the | ||||||
2 | majority of parenting time shall be deemed | ||||||
3 | entitled to claim the dependency exemption for the | ||||||
4 | parties' minor child. | ||||||
5 | (II) The Illinois Department of Healthcare and | ||||||
6 | Family Services shall promulgate a standardized | ||||||
7 | net income conversion table that computes net | ||||||
8 | income by deducting the standardized tax amount | ||||||
9 | from gross income. | ||||||
10 | (D) As used in this Section, "individualized tax | ||||||
11 | amount" means the aggregate of the following taxes: | ||||||
12 | (I) federal income tax (properly calculated | ||||||
13 | withholding or estimated payments); | ||||||
14 | (II) State income tax (properly calculated | ||||||
15 | withholding or estimated payments); and | ||||||
16 | (III) Social Security or self-employment tax, | ||||||
17 | if applicable (or, if none, mandatory retirement | ||||||
18 | contributions required by law or as a condition of | ||||||
19 | employment) and Medicare tax calculated at the | ||||||
20 | Federal Insurance Contributions Act rate. | ||||||
21 | (E) In lieu of a standardized tax amount, a | ||||||
22 | determination of an individualized tax amount may be | ||||||
23 | made under items (I), (II), or (III) below. If an | ||||||
24 | individualized tax amount determination is made under | ||||||
25 | this subparagraph (E), all relevant tax attributes | ||||||
26 | (including filing status, allocation of dependency |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | exemptions, and whether a party is to claim the use of | ||||||
2 | the standard deduction or itemized deductions for | ||||||
3 | federal income tax purposes) shall be as the parties | ||||||
4 | agree or as the court determines. To determine a | ||||||
5 | party's reported income, the court may order the party | ||||||
6 | to complete an Internal Revenue Service Form 4506-T, | ||||||
7 | Request for Tax Transcript. | ||||||
8 | (I) Agreement. Irrespective of whether the | ||||||
9 | parties agree on any other issue before the court, | ||||||
10 | if they jointly stipulate for the record their | ||||||
11 | concurrence on a computation method for the | ||||||
12 | individualized tax amount that is different from | ||||||
13 | the method set forth under subparagraph (D), the | ||||||
14 | stipulated method shall be used by the court | ||||||
15 | unless the court rejects the proposed stipulated | ||||||
16 | method for good cause. | ||||||
17 | (II) Summary hearing. If the court determines | ||||||
18 | child support in a summary hearing under Section | ||||||
19 | 501 and an eligible party opts in to the | ||||||
20 | individualized tax amount method under this item | ||||||
21 | (II), the individualized tax amount shall be | ||||||
22 | determined by the court on the basis of | ||||||
23 | information contained in one or both parties' | ||||||
24 | Supreme Court approved Financial Affidavit (Family & | ||||||
25 | Divorce Cases) and relevant supporting documents | ||||||
26 | under applicable court rules. No party, however, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | is eligible to opt in unless the party, under | ||||||
2 | applicable court rules, has served the other party | ||||||
3 | with the required Supreme Court approved Financial | ||||||
4 | Affidavit (Family & Divorce Cases) and has | ||||||
5 | substantially produced supporting documents | ||||||
6 | required by the applicable court rules. | ||||||
7 | (III) Evidentiary hearing. If the court | ||||||
8 | determines child support in an evidentiary | ||||||
9 | hearing, whether for purposes of a temporary order | ||||||
10 | or at the conclusion of a proceeding, item (II) of | ||||||
11 | this subparagraph (E) does not apply. In each such | ||||||
12 | case (unless item (I) governs), the individualized | ||||||
13 | tax amount shall be as determined by the court on | ||||||
14 | the basis of the record established. | ||||||
15 | (F) Adjustments to income. | ||||||
16 | (I) Multi-family adjustment. If a parent is | ||||||
17 | also legally responsible for support of a child | ||||||
18 | not shared with the other parent and not subject | ||||||
19 | to the present proceeding, there shall be an | ||||||
20 | adjustment to net income as follows: | ||||||
21 | (i) Multi-family adjustment with court | ||||||
22 | order. The court shall deduct from the | ||||||
23 | parent's net income the amount of child | ||||||
24 | support actually paid by the parent pursuant | ||||||
25 | to a support order unless the court makes a | ||||||
26 | finding that it would cause economic hardship |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | to the child. | ||||||
2 | (ii) Multi-family adjustment without court | ||||||
3 | order. Upon the request or application of a | ||||||
4 | parent actually supporting a presumed, | ||||||
5 | acknowledged, or adjudicated child living in | ||||||
6 | or outside of that parent's household, there | ||||||
7 | shall be an adjustment to child support. The | ||||||
8 | court shall deduct from the parent's net | ||||||
9 | income the amount of financial support | ||||||
10 | actually paid by the parent for the child or | ||||||
11 | 75% of the support the parent should pay under | ||||||
12 | the child support guidelines (before this | ||||||
13 | adjustment), whichever is less, unless the | ||||||
14 | court makes a finding that it would cause | ||||||
15 | economic hardship to the child. The adjustment | ||||||
16 | shall be calculated using that parent's income | ||||||
17 | alone. | ||||||
18 | (II) Spousal Maintenance adjustment. | ||||||
19 | Obligations pursuant to a court order for spousal | ||||||
20 | maintenance in the pending proceeding actually | ||||||
21 | paid or payable to the same party to whom child | ||||||
22 | support is to be payable or actually paid to a | ||||||
23 | former spouse pursuant to a court order shall be | ||||||
24 | deducted from the parent's after-tax income, | ||||||
25 | unless the maintenance obligation is tax | ||||||
26 | deductible to the payor for federal income tax |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | purposes, in which case it shall be deducted from | ||||||
2 | the payor's gross income for purposes of | ||||||
3 | calculating the parent's child support obligation. | ||||||
4 | (3.1) Business income.
For purposes of calculating | ||||||
5 | child support, net business income from the operation of a | ||||||
6 | business means gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary | ||||||
7 | expenses required to carry on the trade or business. As | ||||||
8 | used in this paragraph, "business" includes, but is not | ||||||
9 | limited to, sole proprietorships, closely held | ||||||
10 | corporations, partnerships, other flow-through business | ||||||
11 | entities, and self-employment. The court shall apply the | ||||||
12 | following: | ||||||
13 | (A) The accelerated component of depreciation and | ||||||
14 | any business expenses determined either judicially or | ||||||
15 | administratively to be inappropriate or excessive | ||||||
16 | shall be excluded from the total of ordinary and | ||||||
17 | necessary business expenses to be deducted in the | ||||||
18 | determination of net business income from gross | ||||||
19 | business income. | ||||||
20 | (B) Any item of reimbursement or in-kind payment | ||||||
21 | received by a parent from a business, including, but | ||||||
22 | not limited to, a company car, reimbursed meals, free | ||||||
23 | housing, or a housing allowance, shall be counted as | ||||||
24 | income if not otherwise included in the recipient's | ||||||
25 | gross income, if the item is significant in amount and | ||||||
26 | reduces personal expenses. |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (3.2) Unemployment or underemployment.
If a parent is | ||||||
2 | voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, child support | ||||||
3 | shall be calculated based on a determination of potential | ||||||
4 | income. A determination of potential income shall be made | ||||||
5 | by determining employment potential and probable earnings | ||||||
6 | level based on the obligor's work history, occupational | ||||||
7 | qualifications, prevailing job opportunities, the | ||||||
8 | ownership by a parent of a substantial non-income | ||||||
9 | producing asset, and earnings levels in the community. If | ||||||
10 | there is insufficient work history to determine employment | ||||||
11 | potential and probable earnings level, there shall be a | ||||||
12 | rebuttable presumption that the parent's potential income | ||||||
13 | is 75% of the most recent United States Department of | ||||||
14 | Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines for a | ||||||
15 | family of one person. | ||||||
16 | (3.3) Rebuttable presumption in favor of guidelines.
| ||||||
17 | There is a rebuttable presumption in any judicial or | ||||||
18 | administrative proceeding for child support that the | ||||||
19 | amount of the child support obligation that would result | ||||||
20 | from the application of the child support guidelines is | ||||||
21 | the correct amount of child support. | ||||||
22 | (3.3a) Minimum child support obligation. There is a | ||||||
23 | rebuttable presumption that a minimum child support | ||||||
24 | obligation of $40 per month, per child, will be entered | ||||||
25 | for an obligor who has actual or imputed gross income at or | ||||||
26 | less than 75% of the most recent United States Department |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines | ||||||
2 | for a family of one person, with a maximum total child | ||||||
3 | support obligation for that obligor of $120 per month to | ||||||
4 | be divided equally among all of the obligor's children. | ||||||
5 | (3.3b) Zero dollar child support order. For parents | ||||||
6 | with no gross income, who receive only means-tested | ||||||
7 | assistance, or who cannot work due to a medically proven | ||||||
8 | disability, incarceration, or institutionalization, there | ||||||
9 | is a rebuttable presumption that the $40 per month minimum | ||||||
10 | support order is inapplicable and a zero dollar order | ||||||
11 | shall be entered. | ||||||
12 | (3.4) Deviation factors.
In any action to establish or | ||||||
13 | modify child support, whether pursuant to a temporary or | ||||||
14 | final administrative or court order, the child support | ||||||
15 | guidelines shall be used as a rebuttable presumption for | ||||||
16 | the establishment or modification of the amount of child | ||||||
17 | support. The court may deviate from the child support | ||||||
18 | guidelines if the application would be inequitable, | ||||||
19 | unjust, or inappropriate. Any deviation from the | ||||||
20 | guidelines shall be accompanied by written findings by the | ||||||
21 | court specifying the reasons for the deviation and the | ||||||
22 | presumed amount under the child support guidelines without | ||||||
23 | a deviation. These reasons may include: | ||||||
24 | (A) extraordinary medical expenditures necessary | ||||||
25 | to preserve the life or health of a party or a child of | ||||||
26 | either or both of the parties; |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (B) additional expenses incurred for a child | ||||||
2 | subject to the child support order who has special | ||||||
3 | medical, physical, or developmental needs; and | ||||||
4 | (C) any other factor the court determines should | ||||||
5 | be applied upon a finding that the application of the | ||||||
6 | child support guidelines would be inappropriate, after | ||||||
7 | considering the best interest of the child. | ||||||
8 | (3.5) Income in excess of the schedule of basic child | ||||||
9 | support obligation. A court may use its discretion to | ||||||
10 | determine child support if the combined adjusted net | ||||||
11 | income of the parties exceeds the highest level of the | ||||||
12 | schedule of basic child support obligation, except that | ||||||
13 | the basic child support obligation shall not be less than | ||||||
14 | the highest level of combined net income set forth in the | ||||||
15 | schedule of basic child support obligation. | ||||||
16 | (3.6) Extracurricular activities and school expenses.
| ||||||
17 | The court, in its discretion, in addition to the basic | ||||||
18 | child support obligation, may order either or both parents | ||||||
19 | owing a duty of support to the child to contribute to the | ||||||
20 | reasonable school and extracurricular activity expenses | ||||||
21 | incurred which are intended to enhance the educational, | ||||||
22 | athletic, social, or cultural development of the child. | ||||||
23 | (3.7) Child care expenses.
The court, in its | ||||||
24 | discretion, in addition to the basic child support | ||||||
25 | obligation, may order either or both parents owing a duty | ||||||
26 | of support to the child to contribute to the reasonable |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | child care expenses of the child. The child care expenses | ||||||
2 | shall be made payable directly to a party or directly to | ||||||
3 | the child care provider at the time of child care | ||||||
4 | services. | ||||||
5 | (A) "Child care expenses" means actual expenses | ||||||
6 | reasonably necessary to enable a parent or non-parent | ||||||
7 | custodian to be employed, to attend educational or | ||||||
8 | vocational training programs to improve employment | ||||||
9 | opportunities, or to search for employment. "Child | ||||||
10 | care expenses" also includes deposits for securing | ||||||
11 | placement in a child care program, the cost of before | ||||||
12 | and after school care, and camps when school is not in | ||||||
13 | session. A child's special needs shall be a | ||||||
14 | consideration in determining reasonable child care | ||||||
15 | expenses. | ||||||
16 | (B) Child care expenses shall be prorated in | ||||||
17 | proportion to each parent's percentage share of | ||||||
18 | combined net income, and may be added to the basic | ||||||
19 | child support obligation if not paid directly by each | ||||||
20 | parent to the provider of child care services. The | ||||||
21 | obligor's and obligee's portion of actual child care | ||||||
22 | expenses shall appear in the support order. If | ||||||
23 | allowed, the value of the federal income tax credit | ||||||
24 | for child care shall be subtracted from the actual | ||||||
25 | cost to determine the net child care costs. | ||||||
26 | (C) The amount of child care expenses shall be |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | adequate to obtain reasonable and necessary child | ||||||
2 | care. The actual child care expenses shall be used to | ||||||
3 | calculate the child care expenses, if available. When | ||||||
4 | actual child care expenses vary, the actual child care | ||||||
5 | expenses may be averaged over the most recent 12-month | ||||||
6 | period. When a parent is temporarily unemployed or | ||||||
7 | temporarily not attending educational or vocational | ||||||
8 | training programs, future child care expenses shall be | ||||||
9 | based upon prospective expenses to be incurred upon | ||||||
10 | return to employment or educational or vocational | ||||||
11 | training programs. | ||||||
12 | (D) An order for child care expenses may be | ||||||
13 | modified upon a showing of a substantial change in | ||||||
14 | circumstances. The party incurring child care expenses | ||||||
15 | shall notify the other party within 14 days of any | ||||||
16 | change in the amount of child care expenses that would | ||||||
17 | affect the annualized child care amount as determined | ||||||
18 | in the support order. | ||||||
19 | (3.8) Shared physical care. If each parent exercises | ||||||
20 | 146 or more overnights per year with the child, the basic | ||||||
21 | child support obligation is multiplied by 1.5 to calculate | ||||||
22 | the shared care child support obligation. The court shall | ||||||
23 | determine each parent's share of the shared care child | ||||||
24 | support obligation based on the parent's percentage share | ||||||
25 | of combined net income. The child support obligation is | ||||||
26 | then computed for each parent by multiplying that parent's |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | portion of the shared care support obligation by the | ||||||
2 | percentage of time the child spends with the other parent. | ||||||
3 | The respective child support obligations are then offset, | ||||||
4 | with the parent owing more child support paying the | ||||||
5 | difference between the child support amounts. The Illinois | ||||||
6 | Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall | ||||||
7 | promulgate a worksheet to calculate child support in cases | ||||||
8 | in which the parents have shared physical care and use the | ||||||
9 | standardized tax amount to determine net income. | ||||||
10 | (3.9) Split physical care. When
there is more than one | ||||||
11 | child and each parent has physical care of at least one but | ||||||
12 | not all of the children, the support is calculated by | ||||||
13 | using 2 child support worksheets to determine the support | ||||||
14 | each parent owes the other. The support shall be | ||||||
15 | calculated as follows: | ||||||
16 | (A) compute the support the first parent would owe | ||||||
17 | to other parent as if the child in his or her care was | ||||||
18 | the only child of the parties; then | ||||||
19 | (B) compute the support the other parent would owe | ||||||
20 | to the first parent as if the child in his or her care | ||||||
21 | were the only child of the parties; then | ||||||
22 | (C) subtract the lesser support obligation from | ||||||
23 | the greater. | ||||||
24 | The parent who owes the greater obligation shall be | ||||||
25 | ordered to pay the difference in support to the other | ||||||
26 | parent, unless the court determines, pursuant to other |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | provisions of this Section, that it should deviate from | ||||||
2 | the guidelines. | ||||||
3 | (4) Health care to be addressed by the court. | ||||||
4 | (A) A portion of the basic child support | ||||||
5 | obligation is intended to cover basic ordinary | ||||||
6 | out-of-pocket medical expenses. The court, in its | ||||||
7 | discretion, in addition to the basic child support | ||||||
8 | obligation, shall also provide for the child's current | ||||||
9 | and future medical needs by ordering either or both | ||||||
10 | parents to initiate health insurance coverage for the | ||||||
11 | child through currently effective health insurance | ||||||
12 | policies held by the parent or parents, purchase one | ||||||
13 | or more or all health, dental, or vision insurance | ||||||
14 | policies for the child, or provide for the child's | ||||||
15 | current and future medical needs through some other | ||||||
16 | manner. | ||||||
17 | (B) The court, in its discretion, may order either | ||||||
18 | or both parents to contribute to the reasonable health | ||||||
19 | care needs of the child not covered by insurance, | ||||||
20 | including, but not limited to, unreimbursed medical, | ||||||
21 | dental, orthodontic, or vision expenses and any | ||||||
22 | prescription medication for the child not covered | ||||||
23 | under the child's health insurance. | ||||||
24 | (C) If neither parent has access to appropriate | ||||||
25 | private health insurance coverage, the court may | ||||||
26 | order: |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (I) one or both parents to provide health | ||||||
2 | insurance coverage at any time it becomes | ||||||
3 | available at a reasonable cost; or | ||||||
4 | (II) the parent or non-parent custodian with | ||||||
5 | primary physical responsibility for the child to | ||||||
6 | apply for public health insurance coverage for the | ||||||
7 | child and require either or both parents to pay a | ||||||
8 | reasonable amount of the cost of health insurance | ||||||
9 | for the child. | ||||||
10 | The order may also provide that any time private | ||||||
11 | health insurance coverage is available at a reasonable | ||||||
12 | cost to that party it will be provided instead of cash | ||||||
13 | medical support. As used in this Section, "cash | ||||||
14 | medical support" means an amount ordered to be paid | ||||||
15 | toward the cost of health insurance provided by a | ||||||
16 | public entity or by another person through employment | ||||||
17 | or otherwise or for other medical costs not covered by | ||||||
18 | insurance. | ||||||
19 | (D) The amount to be added to the basic child | ||||||
20 | support obligation shall be the actual amount of the | ||||||
21 | total health insurance premium that is attributable to | ||||||
22 | the child who is the subject of the order. If this | ||||||
23 | amount is not available or cannot be verified, the | ||||||
24 | total cost of the health insurance premium shall be | ||||||
25 | divided by the total number of persons covered by the | ||||||
26 | policy. The cost per person derived from this |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | calculation shall be multiplied by the number of | ||||||
2 | children who are the subject of the order and who are | ||||||
3 | covered under the health insurance policy. This amount | ||||||
4 | shall be added to the basic child support obligation | ||||||
5 | and shall be allocated between the parents in | ||||||
6 | proportion to their respective net incomes. | ||||||
7 | (E) After the health insurance premium for the | ||||||
8 | child is added to the basic child support obligation | ||||||
9 | and allocated between the parents in proportion to | ||||||
10 | their respective incomes for child support purposes, | ||||||
11 | if the obligor is paying the premium, the amount | ||||||
12 | calculated for the obligee's share of the health | ||||||
13 | insurance premium for the child shall be deducted from | ||||||
14 | the obligor's share of the total child support | ||||||
15 | obligation. If the obligee is paying for private | ||||||
16 | health insurance for the child, the child support | ||||||
17 | obligation shall be increased by the obligor's share | ||||||
18 | of the premium payment. The obligor's and obligee's | ||||||
19 | portion of health insurance costs shall appear in the | ||||||
20 | support order. | ||||||
21 | (F) Prior to allowing the health insurance | ||||||
22 | adjustment, the parent requesting the adjustment must | ||||||
23 | submit proof that the child has been enrolled in a | ||||||
24 | health insurance plan and must submit proof of the | ||||||
25 | cost of the premium. The court shall require the | ||||||
26 | parent receiving the adjustment to annually submit |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | proof of continued coverage of the child to the other | ||||||
2 | parent, or as designated by the court. | ||||||
3 | (G) A reasonable cost for providing health | ||||||
4 | insurance coverage for the child may not exceed 5% of | ||||||
5 | the providing parent's gross income. Parents with a | ||||||
6 | net income below 133% of the most recent United States | ||||||
7 | Department of Health and Human Services Federal | ||||||
8 | Poverty Guidelines or whose child is covered by | ||||||
9 | Medicaid based on that parent's income may not be | ||||||
10 | ordered to contribute toward or provide private | ||||||
11 | coverage, unless private coverage is obtainable | ||||||
12 | without any financial contribution by that parent. | ||||||
13 | (H) If dental or vision insurance is included as | ||||||
14 | part of the employer's medical plan, the coverage | ||||||
15 | shall be maintained for the child. If not included in | ||||||
16 | the employer's medical plan, adding the dental or | ||||||
17 | vision insurance for the child is at the discretion of | ||||||
18 | the court. | ||||||
19 | (I) If a parent has been directed to provide | ||||||
20 | health insurance pursuant to this paragraph and that | ||||||
21 | parent's spouse or legally recognized partner provides | ||||||
22 | the insurance for the benefit of the child either | ||||||
23 | directly or through employment, a credit on the child | ||||||
24 | support worksheet shall be given to that parent in the | ||||||
25 | same manner as if the premium were paid by that parent.
| ||||||
26 | (4.5) In a proceeding for child support following |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | dissolution of the
marriage or civil union by a court that | ||||||
2 | lacked personal jurisdiction over the absent spouse,
and | ||||||
3 | in which the court is requiring payment of support for the | ||||||
4 | period before
the date an order for current support is | ||||||
5 | entered, there is a rebuttable
presumption
that the | ||||||
6 | obligor's net income for the prior period was the same as | ||||||
7 | his
or her net income at the time the order for current | ||||||
8 | support is entered.
| ||||||
9 | (5) If the net income cannot be determined because of | ||||||
10 | default or any
other reason, the court shall order support | ||||||
11 | in an amount considered
reasonable in the particular case. | ||||||
12 | The final order in all cases shall
state the support level | ||||||
13 | in dollar amounts.
However, if the
court finds that the | ||||||
14 | child support amount cannot be expressed exclusively as a
| ||||||
15 | dollar amount because all or a portion of the obligor's | ||||||
16 | net income is uncertain
as to source, time of payment, or | ||||||
17 | amount, the court may order a percentage
amount of support | ||||||
18 | in addition to a specific dollar amount and enter
such | ||||||
19 | other orders as may be necessary to determine and enforce, | ||||||
20 | on a timely
basis, the applicable support ordered.
| ||||||
21 | (6) If (i) the obligor was properly served with a | ||||||
22 | request
for
discovery of financial information relating to | ||||||
23 | the obligor's
ability to
provide child support, (ii) the | ||||||
24 | obligor failed to comply with the
request,
despite having | ||||||
25 | been ordered to do so by the court, and (iii) the obligor | ||||||
26 | is not present at the hearing to determine support despite |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | having
received
proper notice, then any relevant financial | ||||||
2 | information concerning the obligor's
ability to provide | ||||||
3 | child support that was obtained
pursuant to
subpoena and | ||||||
4 | proper notice shall be admitted into evidence without the | ||||||
5 | need to
establish any further foundation for its | ||||||
6 | admission.
| ||||||
7 | (a-3) Life insurance to secure support. At the discretion | ||||||
8 | of the court, a child support obligation pursuant to this | ||||||
9 | Section and Sections 510, 513, and 513.5 of this Act may be | ||||||
10 | secured, in whole or in part, by reasonably affordable life | ||||||
11 | insurance on the life of one or both parents on such terms as | ||||||
12 | the parties agree or as the court orders. The court may require | ||||||
13 | such insurance remain in full force and effect until the | ||||||
14 | termination of all obligations of support, subject to the | ||||||
15 | following: | ||||||
16 | (1) Existing life insurance. The court shall be | ||||||
17 | apprised through evidence, stipulation, or otherwise as to | ||||||
18 | the level, ownership, and type of existing life insurance | ||||||
19 | death benefit coverage available to one or both parents, | ||||||
20 | the cost of the premiums, cost ratings, and escalations | ||||||
21 | and assignment of the policy, if applicable, and all other | ||||||
22 | relevant circumstances. The court shall make findings | ||||||
23 | relative thereto. | ||||||
24 | (2) New life insurance. The court shall be apprised | ||||||
25 | through evidence, stipulation, or otherwise as to the | ||||||
26 | availability of obtaining reasonably affordable new life |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | insurance. To the extent the court determines that the | ||||||
2 | support obligations should be secured, in whole or in | ||||||
3 | part, by new life insurance on the life of one or both | ||||||
4 | parents, the court may order that one or both parents | ||||||
5 | comply with all requirements to obtain such new life | ||||||
6 | insurance through employment, trade union, fraternal | ||||||
7 | organizations, associations, or individual means. | ||||||
8 | In determining the level and type of death benefits | ||||||
9 | coverage to be obtained by a parent, the court shall | ||||||
10 | consider access and availability of life insurance to that | ||||||
11 | parent, the cost of the premium, cost ratings, and | ||||||
12 | escalations, if applicable, and all other relevant | ||||||
13 | circumstances. | ||||||
14 | (3) Other security. If life insurance is unavailable | ||||||
15 | to a parent, the court, in its discretion, or as agreed to | ||||||
16 | by the parties, may order other equitable and reasonable | ||||||
17 | means to secure a child support obligation. | ||||||
18 | (a-5) In an action to enforce an order for child support | ||||||
19 | based on the obligor's
failure
to make support payments as | ||||||
20 | required by the order, notice of proceedings to
hold the | ||||||
21 | obligor in contempt for that failure may be served on the | ||||||
22 | obligor
by personal service or by regular mail addressed to | ||||||
23 | the last known address of the obligor. The last known address | ||||||
24 | of the obligor may be determined from
records of the clerk of | ||||||
25 | the court, from the Federal Case Registry of Child
Support | ||||||
26 | Orders, or by any other reasonable means.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (b) Failure of either parent to comply with an order to pay | ||||||
2 | support shall
be punishable as in other cases of contempt. In | ||||||
3 | addition to other
penalties provided by law the court may, | ||||||
4 | after finding the parent guilty
of contempt, order that the | ||||||
5 | parent be:
| ||||||
6 | (1) placed on probation with such conditions of | ||||||
7 | probation as the court
deems advisable;
| ||||||
8 | (2) sentenced to periodic imprisonment for a period | ||||||
9 | not to exceed 6
months; provided, however, that the court | ||||||
10 | may permit the parent to be
released for periods of time | ||||||
11 | during the day or night to:
| ||||||
12 | (A) work; or
| ||||||
13 | (B) conduct a business or other self-employed | ||||||
14 | occupation.
| ||||||
15 | The court may further order any part or all of the earnings | ||||||
16 | of a parent
during a sentence of periodic imprisonment paid to | ||||||
17 | the Clerk of the Circuit
Court or to the parent having physical | ||||||
18 | possession of the child or to the non-parent custodian having | ||||||
19 | custody
of the child of the sentenced parent for the support of | ||||||
20 | the child until further order of the court.
| ||||||
21 | If a parent who is found guilty of contempt for failure to | ||||||
22 | comply with an order to pay support is a person who conducts a | ||||||
23 | business or who is self-employed, the court in addition to | ||||||
24 | other penalties provided by law may order that the parent do | ||||||
25 | one or more of the following: (i) provide to the court monthly | ||||||
26 | financial statements showing income and expenses from the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | business or the self-employment; (ii) seek employment and | ||||||
2 | report periodically to the court with a diary, listing, or | ||||||
3 | other memorandum of his or her employment search efforts; or | ||||||
4 | (iii) report to the Department of Employment Security for job | ||||||
5 | search services to find employment that will be subject to | ||||||
6 | withholding for child support. | ||||||
7 | If there is a unity of interest and ownership sufficient | ||||||
8 | to render no
financial separation between an obligor and | ||||||
9 | another person or
persons or business entity, the court may | ||||||
10 | pierce the ownership veil of the
person, persons, or business | ||||||
11 | entity to discover assets of the obligor held in the name of | ||||||
12 | that person, those persons, or that business entity.
The | ||||||
13 | following circumstances are sufficient to authorize a court to | ||||||
14 | order
discovery of the assets of a person, persons, or | ||||||
15 | business entity and to compel
the application of any | ||||||
16 | discovered assets toward payment on the judgment for
support:
| ||||||
17 | (1) the obligor and the person, persons, or business | ||||||
18 | entity
maintain records together.
| ||||||
19 | (2) the obligor and the person, persons, or business | ||||||
20 | entity
fail to maintain an arm's length relationship | ||||||
21 | between themselves with regard to
any assets.
| ||||||
22 | (3) the obligor transfers assets to the person, | ||||||
23 | persons,
or business entity with the intent to perpetrate | ||||||
24 | a fraud on the obligee.
| ||||||
25 | With respect to assets which
are real property, no order | ||||||
26 | entered under this paragraph shall affect the
rights of bona |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | fide purchasers, mortgagees, judgment creditors, or other lien
| ||||||
2 | holders who acquire their interests in the property prior to | ||||||
3 | the time a notice
of lis pendens pursuant to the Code of Civil | ||||||
4 | Procedure or a copy of the order
is placed of record in the | ||||||
5 | office of the recorder of deeds for the county in
which the | ||||||
6 | real property is located.
| ||||||
7 | The court may also order in cases where the parent is 90 | ||||||
8 | days or more
delinquent in payment of support or has been | ||||||
9 | adjudicated in arrears in an
amount equal to 90 days | ||||||
10 | obligation or more, that the parent's Illinois driving
| ||||||
11 | privileges be suspended until the court
determines that the | ||||||
12 | parent is in compliance with the order of support.
The court | ||||||
13 | may also order that the parent be issued a family financial
| ||||||
14 | responsibility driving permit that would allow limited driving | ||||||
15 | privileges for
employment and medical purposes in accordance | ||||||
16 | with Section 7-702.1 of the
Illinois Vehicle Code. The Clerk | ||||||
17 | of the Circuit Court shall certify the order
suspending the | ||||||
18 | driving privileges of the parent or granting the issuance of a
| ||||||
19 | family financial responsibility driving permit to the | ||||||
20 | Secretary of State on
forms prescribed by the Secretary of | ||||||
21 | State. Upon receipt of the authenticated
documents, the | ||||||
22 | Secretary of State shall suspend the parent's driving | ||||||
23 | privileges
until further order of the court and shall, if | ||||||
24 | ordered by the court, subject to
the provisions of Section | ||||||
25 | 7-702.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, issue a family
financial | ||||||
26 | responsibility driving permit to the parent.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | In addition to the penalties or punishment that may be | ||||||
2 | imposed under this
Section, any person whose conduct | ||||||
3 | constitutes a violation of Section 15 of the
Non-Support | ||||||
4 | Punishment Act may be prosecuted under that Act, and a person
| ||||||
5 | convicted under that Act may be sentenced in accordance with | ||||||
6 | that Act. The
sentence may include but need not be limited to a | ||||||
7 | requirement that the person
perform community service under | ||||||
8 | Section 50 of that Act or participate in a work
alternative | ||||||
9 | program under Section 50 of that Act. A person may not be | ||||||
10 | required
to participate in a work alternative program under | ||||||
11 | Section 50 of that Act if
the person is currently | ||||||
12 | participating in a work program pursuant to Section
505.1 of | ||||||
13 | this Act.
| ||||||
14 | A support obligation, or any portion of a support | ||||||
15 | obligation, which becomes
due and remains unpaid as of the end | ||||||
16 | of each month, excluding the child support that was due for | ||||||
17 | that month to the extent that it was not paid in that month, | ||||||
18 | shall accrue simple interest as set forth in Section 12-109 of | ||||||
19 | the Code of Civil Procedure.
An order for support entered or | ||||||
20 | modified on or after January 1, 2006 shall
contain a statement | ||||||
21 | that a support obligation required under the order, or any
| ||||||
22 | portion of a support obligation required under the order, that | ||||||
23 | becomes due and
remains unpaid as of the end of each month, | ||||||
24 | excluding the child support that was due for that month to the | ||||||
25 | extent that it was not paid in that month, shall accrue simple | ||||||
26 | interest as set forth in Section 12-109 of the Code of Civil |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Procedure. Failure to include the statement in the order for | ||||||
2 | support does
not affect the validity of the order or the | ||||||
3 | accrual of interest as provided in
this Section.
| ||||||
4 | (c) A one-time charge of 20% is imposable upon the amount | ||||||
5 | of
past-due child support owed on July 1, 1988 which has | ||||||
6 | accrued under a
support order entered by the court. The charge | ||||||
7 | shall be imposed in
accordance with the provisions of Section | ||||||
8 | 10-21 of the Illinois Public Aid
Code and shall be enforced by | ||||||
9 | the court upon petition.
| ||||||
10 | (d) Any new or existing support order entered by the court
| ||||||
11 | under this Section shall be deemed to be a series of judgments | ||||||
12 | against the
person obligated to pay support thereunder, each | ||||||
13 | such judgment to be in the
amount of each payment or | ||||||
14 | installment of support and each such judgment to
be deemed | ||||||
15 | entered as of the date the corresponding payment or | ||||||
16 | installment
becomes due under the terms of the support order. | ||||||
17 | Each such judgment shall
have the full force, effect and | ||||||
18 | attributes of any other judgment of this
State, including the | ||||||
19 | ability to be enforced.
Notwithstanding any other State or | ||||||
20 | local law to the contrary, a lien arises by operation of law | ||||||
21 | against the real and personal property of
the obligor for each | ||||||
22 | installment of overdue support owed by the obligor.
| ||||||
23 | (e) When child support is to be paid through the Clerk of | ||||||
24 | the Court in a
county of 500,000 inhabitants or less, the order | ||||||
25 | shall direct the obligor to pay to the Clerk, in addition to | ||||||
26 | the child support payments, all fees
imposed by the county |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | board under paragraph (2) of subsection (j-5) of Section 27.1b | ||||||
2 | paragraph (4) of subsection (bb) of
Section 27.1a of the | ||||||
3 | Clerks of Courts Act. When child support is to be paid through | ||||||
4 | the clerk of the court in a
county of more than 500,000 but | ||||||
5 | less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the order shall direct the | ||||||
6 | obligor
to pay to the clerk, in addition to the child support | ||||||
7 | payments, all fees
imposed by the county board under paragraph | ||||||
8 | (4) of subsection (bb) of
Section 27.2 of the Clerks of Courts | ||||||
9 | Act. Unless paid pursuant to
an Income Withholding | ||||||
10 | Order/Notice for Support, the payment of the fee shall be by | ||||||
11 | payment acceptable to the clerk and shall be made to the order | ||||||
12 | of the
Clerk.
| ||||||
13 | (f) All orders for support, when entered or
modified, | ||||||
14 | shall include a provision requiring the obligor to notify
the | ||||||
15 | court and, in cases in which a party is receiving child and | ||||||
16 | spouse
services under Article X of the Illinois Public Aid | ||||||
17 | Code, the
Department of Healthcare and Family Services, within | ||||||
18 | 7 days, (i) of the name and address
of any new employer of the | ||||||
19 | obligor, (ii) whether the obligor has access to
health | ||||||
20 | insurance coverage through the employer or other group | ||||||
21 | coverage and,
if so, the policy name and number and the names | ||||||
22 | of persons covered under
the policy, except only the initials | ||||||
23 | of any covered minors shall be included, and (iii) of any new | ||||||
24 | residential or mailing address or telephone
number of the | ||||||
25 | obligor. In any subsequent action to enforce a
support order, | ||||||
26 | upon a sufficient showing that a diligent effort has been made
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | to ascertain the location of the obligor, service of process | ||||||
2 | or
provision of notice necessary in the case may be made at the | ||||||
3 | last known
address of the obligor in any manner expressly | ||||||
4 | provided by the
Code of Civil Procedure or this Act, which | ||||||
5 | service shall be sufficient for
purposes of due process.
| ||||||
6 | (g) An order for support shall include a date on which the | ||||||
7 | current
support obligation terminates. The termination date | ||||||
8 | shall be no earlier than
the date on which the child covered by | ||||||
9 | the order will attain the age of
18. However, if the child will | ||||||
10 | not graduate from high school until after
attaining the age of | ||||||
11 | 18, then the termination date shall be no earlier than the
| ||||||
12 | earlier of the date on which the child's high school | ||||||
13 | graduation will occur or
the date on which the child will | ||||||
14 | attain the age of 19. The order for support
shall state that | ||||||
15 | the termination date does not apply to any arrearage that may
| ||||||
16 | remain unpaid on that date. Nothing in this subsection shall | ||||||
17 | be construed to
prevent the court from modifying the order or | ||||||
18 | terminating the order in the
event the child is otherwise | ||||||
19 | emancipated.
| ||||||
20 | (g-5) If there is an unpaid arrearage or delinquency (as | ||||||
21 | those terms are defined in the Income Withholding for Support | ||||||
22 | Act) equal to at least one month's support obligation on the | ||||||
23 | termination date stated in the order for support or, if there | ||||||
24 | is no termination date stated in the order, on the date the | ||||||
25 | child attains the age of majority or is otherwise emancipated, | ||||||
26 | the periodic amount required to be paid for current support of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | that child immediately prior to that date shall automatically | ||||||
2 | continue to be an obligation, not as current support but as | ||||||
3 | periodic payment toward satisfaction of the unpaid arrearage | ||||||
4 | or delinquency. That periodic payment shall be in addition to | ||||||
5 | any periodic payment previously required for satisfaction of | ||||||
6 | the arrearage or delinquency. The total periodic amount to be | ||||||
7 | paid toward satisfaction of the arrearage or delinquency may | ||||||
8 | be enforced and collected by any method provided by law for | ||||||
9 | enforcement and collection of child support, including but not | ||||||
10 | limited to income withholding under the Income Withholding for | ||||||
11 | Support Act. Each order for support entered or modified on or | ||||||
12 | after January 1, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act | ||||||
13 | 93-1061) must contain a statement notifying the parties of the | ||||||
14 | requirements of this subsection. Failure to include the | ||||||
15 | statement in the order for support does not affect the | ||||||
16 | validity of the order or the operation of the provisions of | ||||||
17 | this subsection with regard to the order. This subsection | ||||||
18 | shall not be construed to prevent or affect the establishment | ||||||
19 | or modification of an order for support of a minor child or the | ||||||
20 | establishment or modification of an order for support of a | ||||||
21 | non-minor child or educational expenses under Section 513 of | ||||||
22 | this Act.
| ||||||
23 | (h) An order entered under this Section shall include a | ||||||
24 | provision requiring
either parent to report to the other | ||||||
25 | parent and to the Clerk of Court within 10 days each time | ||||||
26 | either parent obtains new employment, and each time either |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | parent's
employment is terminated for any reason. The report | ||||||
2 | shall be in writing and
shall, in the case of new employment, | ||||||
3 | include the name and address of the new
employer. Failure to | ||||||
4 | report new employment or the termination of current
| ||||||
5 | employment, if coupled with nonpayment of support for a period | ||||||
6 | in excess of 60
days, is indirect criminal contempt. For | ||||||
7 | either parent arrested for failure to report new employment | ||||||
8 | bond shall be set in the amount of the child support that | ||||||
9 | should have been paid during the period of unreported | ||||||
10 | employment. An order entered under this Section shall also | ||||||
11 | include a provision requiring either obligor
and obligee to | ||||||
12 | advise the other of a change in residence within 5 days
of the | ||||||
13 | change except when the court finds that the physical, mental, | ||||||
14 | or
emotional health of a party or that of a child, or both, | ||||||
15 | would be
seriously endangered by disclosure of the party's | ||||||
16 | address.
| ||||||
17 | (i) The court does not lose the powers of contempt, | ||||||
18 | driver's license
suspension, or other child support | ||||||
19 | enforcement mechanisms, including, but
not limited to, | ||||||
20 | criminal prosecution as set forth in this Act, upon the
| ||||||
21 | emancipation of the minor child.
| ||||||
22 | (Source: P.A. 102-823, eff. 5-13-22.)
|