Illinois Family Law College Expenses

Illinois child support 2019.

Illinois family law college expenses.

Educational expenses for a non minor child. As with most issues in family law a child s parents rather than the courts are best able to decide their child s educational needs and interests considering their child s personality and preference. In this article we will explain under what circumstances a parent can be required by an illinois court to pay child support for a child s college expenses and other educational expenses after the child is no longer a minor. Illinois law does set the factors the court should consider and provides some limits.

The law addressing non minor support in illinois has been recently evolving in a way that affects the timing of when the issue of college expenses should be brought to court. A the court may award sums of money out of the property and income of either or both parties or the estate of a deceased parent as equity may require for the educational expenses of any child of the parties. 750 ilcs 5 513 from ch. College expenses and court orders to pay expenses are generally considered like child support in illinois.

312 634 6196 book a consultation. Under illinois law both parents may be required to contribute to the costs of their child s education after high school. Part of public act 99 90 taking effect in illinois on january 1 2016 substantially adds to the divorce statutes governing parental obligations for their children s college expenses. Clark street suite 3300 chicago il 60602.

Under the new law all educational expenses must be incurred before the child turns 23 except for good cause shown but then not later than the child turning 25. The law defines educational expenses as including but not being limited to tuition and fees housing whether on or. Illinois law 750 ilcs 5 513 gives judges the power to allocate college expenses even expenses incurred during school breaks 750 ilcs 5 513 d 4 for children whose parents are divorced or never married. Contribution to college expenses support of a child after a divorce or custody judgment does not necessarily end when a child reaches the age of 18.

Sweeping changes were made to illinois marriage and dissolution of marriage act imdma including changes to section 513 which is the new divorce law on college expenses in illinois that regulates the allocation of post secondary education expenses for non minor children. For example a parent may be barred from seeking reimbursement for college expenses on behalf of the child that were incurred prior to the filing of a petition to the. Illinois divorce and paternity law calls this technically post high school educational expenses because it is not necessary limited to college. New illinois family law in 2016.