Wheaton College Expenses Lawyer

Non-Minor Child Support and Expenses Lawyers Serving DuPage County and Surrounding Areas

At Goostree Law Group, our experienced family law attorneys understand the importance of a college education. As a parent, you want what is best for your child, and in many cases, this means continuing his or her education after high school. A college degree or a trade certification can increase your child's job opportunities and potential for the future. Unfortunately, the rising costs of tuition and related school expenses can be burdensome for any family, especially one that has been split by a divorce. If you are having trouble helping your child pay for college, your former spouse could be required to contribute.

Divorced Parents and College Expenses in Illinois

An Illinois child support order will usually terminate when the child graduates from high school or reaches his or her 18th birthday, whichever happens last. Depending on when you got divorced, however, you may never have even considered who would be responsible for paying for your child's continuing education. If your child is now ready to start considering educational options, it is understandable for you to be overwhelmed by the costs involved. Fortunately, Illinois law gives you the opportunity to request a special type of child support from the other parent—a type that continues even after your child is legally an adult.

To establish whether non-minor support for college expenses is appropriate, the court must take a number of factors into account. First, the court will examine your existing divorce judgment to determine whether any arrangements were made regarding your child's educational expenses. Next, the resources and needs of each parent must be considered, including their retirement investments. Finally, the child's own resources must be accounted for, as well as his or her performance in school. The court may be hesitant, for example, to order a parent to help pay for college if the child is likely to fail out in a semester or two. At Goostree Law Group, our lawyers have more than 80 years of combined family law experience, and we work to develop creative solutions for families with concerns over college expenses.

Downers Grove Attorneys Protecting Parents

As the costs associated with going to college continue to skyrocket, the law in Illinois does include provisions to help protect parents. Under the law, only a student who is unmarried and under the age of 23 may qualify for non-minor support. (The age limit may be extended to 25 for good cause shown.) The support is to be used to offset the costs of tuition, books, supplies, room and board, utilities, and other related expenses, but the support may be terminated if the student's grades fall below a C or equivalent grade point average.

If you are a parent who needs help with covering the costs of your child's college education, we can help. Similarly, we are ready to assist you if you have been asked by your former spouse to contribute toward your child's post-high school costs. We will meet with you to discuss your case and help you understand your available options.

Schedule a Free Consultation

To learn more about our firm and how we can help with your case, contact our office. Call 630-364-4046 for a free, no-obligation consultation with a skilled family lawyer today. We represent clients throughout DuPage County, including in the communities of Wheaton, Downers Grove, Lisle, Aurora, Woodridge, Warrenville, and the surrounding areas.