An unlikely coalition of the organized bar, child advocates and the Department of Public Aid are supporting Senate Bill 930, which will increase child support for children who live in single-parent families.
According to a study conducted by the Women`s Legal Defense Fund in 1990, only five states have lower average child support awards than Illinois. The study found that the average amount of child support awarded in Illinois under the current statutory guidelines was $5,289 a year, well below the poverty line for the typical family of three ($10,560 a year). The legislation would elevate Illinois from 44th to 12th in the nation.
Inadequate child support means that children who live in single-parent families are disproportionately poor. Almost 50 percent of the single-parent families in this state fall below the poverty line. Most have no choice but to turn to the welfare system for assistance. When noncustodial parents do not support their children, the taxpayers foot the bill.
Most noncustodial parents are able to provide an adequate level of support. The study found that noncustodial parents in Illinois increase their standard of living after divorce by 42 percent while the children`s declines by 31 percent.
Most parents, child advocates and family law attorneys (including the Illinois State Bar Association) agree that there are compelling reasons to reform Illinois` child support guidelines. It is our elected officials who do not understand the financial realities of raising children alone and the deficiencies in our child support laws.
