Change of child support when child turns 18 in Illinois

Seeking Advice
1

Hello from Illinois — I have two kids, and one is turning 18 in a couple of months. When child support was recalculated a few years ago, I was able to impute my ex-wife’s income to $20,000 since she had just started working after being a stay-at-home mom. Now she thinks that my child support will just be halved when our oldest turns 18, but I’m not sure if that’s the case.

My income has increased by about $15K since the last recalculation, and both of us have remarried. Should I recalculate child support, or is it better to go along with her assumption that it will simply be halved?

2

It depends on the state laws. Have you looked for an online calculator for Illinois?

3

In my experience, child support doesn’t automatically decrease when a child turns 18. You usually need to file a motion in court to amend it.

4

In Illinois, child support is based on a percentage of income—20% for one child, 32% for two. So it won’t just be halved.

5

Just a heads up—if you’re in Illinois, you might still be responsible for a portion of your kids’ college expenses until they’re 23, even if it wasn’t mentioned in your divorce decree.

6

I didn’t realize that! Why would that be mandated? I never considered it.

7

Check your final order; it might specify what happens when the oldest turns 18. You should consult your attorney about any necessary changes.

8

You should review your court order. In Texas, for example, they reevaluate every three years, but you can request a reevaluation anytime.

9

Remarriage income doesn’t count towards child support calculations. It’s not simply halved at 18; you need to ensure you file correctly to avoid future retroactive support.