Can Things I Purchase For My Child Count Towards My Child Support?

Can Things I Purchase For My Child Count Towards My Child Support?

A primary without primary physical possession of a child may be required to provide ongoing child support. Under Illinois law (750 ILCS 5/505), parents have a core legal responsibility to “provide for the reasonable and necessary physical, mental, and emotional health needs of the child.” What happens if you purchase things for your child—does that go towards child support? In Illinois, the answer is generally no—unless you have a legally valid arrangement in place. At SAM LAW OFFICE LLC, we have extensive experience handling complex child support cases. Here, our Illinois child support attorney provides a comprehensive overview of the key things purchasing things for your kid and your child support obligations. 

A Gift to Your Child is Not Child Support

As a starting point, it is important to emphasize that you cannot make informal purchases for your child and have that automatically deducted from your child support obligations. In Illinois, child support is defined as a financial obligation mandated by the court to ensure that a non-custodial parent contributes to the upbringing of their child. The courts are strict when it comes to child support arrangements.

While purchasing gifts, clothing, or even essentials for your child might seem like a way to support them financially, the courts do not typically view these informal expenditures as equivalent to formal child support payments unless a specific (legally enforceable) arrangement has been made. 

An Obligor Must Make their Full Child Support Payments in a Timely Manner

Fulfilling child support obligations is not just a moral duty but a legal one. Courts place a high priority on ensuring that child support payments are made consistently and in full. If you’re the paying parent (obligor), it is crucial to make your full payments on time, as outlined in the child support order.

You May Be Able to Work Out an Arrangement With Your Co-Parent

In practice, there may be a way for you to make certain purchases—or cover certain bills—and have that count towards your child support payments. However, you should not do so informally. If you wish to take this type of approach, it is imperative that you come to a formal arrangement—usually through a written agreement—with your co-parent. An Illinois child support lawyer can help. 

Agreeing to terms, putting them in writing, and signing on the dotted line are all incredibly important in this situation. A written and signed agreement outlines the parameters of the co-parenting relationship and how the financial obligations will be handled.

Contact Our Illinois Child Support Lawyer for a Confidential Consultation

At SAM LAW OFFICE LLC, our experienced Illinois child support attorney is committed to protecting the rights and interests of parents. Please, give us a phone call now or connect with us online to set up your strictly confidential case evaluation. You can have your case evaluated by an experienced attorney and all of your questions answered. With a law office in Rolling Meadows, we provide child support representation in Cook County and all across northern Illinois.