Family Law Lifeline

Posted on January 16, 2009 by John Steele

A question I regularly get is, “Since I am having a new child, can I ask the court to lower my child support for my existing children from a previous marriage?” Nope.  Illinois, like most states, believes that the older children should not be punished for your decision to have more children.  They still need support.  Makes sense if you think about it.  You know your financial status and if you are able to care for a new child.  If the law were different, parents paying support would be even less inclined to worry about previous children with spouses that they no longer like/speak with.  Why punish the current children because the parent is having more.The rejoinder to my position is that the new child will suffer if the support to the older children remains the same.  I respond that you should have thought about that before having unprotected sex.  Besides, if a person is so irresponsible to have a new child when he/she cannot afford it, the money going to the older children are the least of the baby’s problems. Posted on January 16, 2009 by John Steele

A question I regularly get is, "Since I am having a new child, can I ask the court to lower my child support for my existing children from a previous marriage?" Nope. Illinois, like most states, believes that the older children should not be punished for your decision to have more children. They still need support. Makes sense if you think about it. You know your financial status and if you are able to care for a new child. If the law were different, parents paying support would be even less inclined to worry about previous children with spouses that they no longer like/speak with. Why punish the current children because the parent is having more.The rejoinder to my position is that the new child will suffer if the support to the older children remains the same. I respond that you should have thought about that before having unprotected sex. Besides, if a person is so irresponsible to have a new child when he/she cannot afford it, the money going to the older children are the least of the baby’s problems.

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