Kane County College Expenses Attorneys

Knowledgeable Child Support Lawyers with Main Offices in St. Charles, Illinois

Changes to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA) that took effect as of January 1, 2016, impact how college expenses for non-minor children are handled in a divorce. The previous version of the law was open to interpretation for what qualified as "college expenses," and consequently, often lead to protracted litigation when parties disagreed about what should be included. The new law has more definitive parameters and is meant to bring clarity to these matters.

At Shaw Family Law, P.C., we have a thorough knowledge of how contributions to college expenses will be determined by the new law. Our attorneys will help you understand how this law will apply in your case and strongly advocate for your interests in negotiating or litigating these matters.

Contributions to College Expenses in Kane County

College expenses have previously been covered in Section 513 of the IMDMA. Numerous revisions have been added to this section to better define exactly what is expected of both parents and students. These changes include:

• Terminating contributions to educational expenses at age 23 unless there is "good cause" to continue and at age 25 regardless of the situation.
• Including the cost of up to five college applications, two standardized college entrance exams, and one standardized college entrance exam prep course.
• Better defining parameters for what types of expenses will be covered and at what standard. Costs are now capped at what a University of Illinois education would cost.
• Requiring a child to sign consents to allow a supporting parent to have access to the child's academic records (unless there is a safety issue).
• Allowing the support obligation to be terminated if the child's grade point average falls below a "C" (without good cause), if the child completes a bachelor's degree, or gets married.
• Providing that a college savings plan (i.e. 529 plan) is a resource for the child.
• Directing the court to consider present and future financial resources of both parents when determining the contribution to college expenses.

Contact a St. Charles, IL Child Support Attorney

If your divorce involves children, making decisions about how college expenses will be handled is an important part of the proceedings. To learn more about this matter, contact Shaw Family Law, P.C. by calling 630-206-3300 to schedule a free consultation. We will further explain how college expenses are handled in a divorce or parentage case in Illinois and discuss your specific legal options. Our firm is located in St. Charles, and we work with clients in Geneva, Aurora, Batavia, Wheaton, Yorkville, Elgin, and throughout Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, and DuPage Counties.