Legal Question in Family Law in Illinois
I am not married but am pregnant with my boyfriend. He's still in the picture and acts like he will help, but should I file for child support just in case, to protect myself? I worry about causing conflict but don't want to get stuck. Also what can I do to ensure he'll pay his half of my prenatal care bills? Being that he's self employed, how does child support work for calculating his income?
1 Answer from Attorneys
In theory it is best to seek support at the earliest date. But this may put a test to our relationship. The law says he is supposed to pay 20% of his net income a defined by IL law (not necessarily the same as net income on a pay check However with a self-employed person that figure may be very hard to determine. What personal expenses is he paying out of his business. Is he paid cash? What is his lifestyle and how is he paying for it? Only you can answer the question of whether you seeking support with hurt your relationship. If you have ongoing prenatal expenses, ask him for help with paying them now. If he does maybe he will continue to pay for half, /If he refuses you have your answer