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Documentary highlights problems with child support system

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Friday, May 18, 2018. A study by the Urban Institute found that 70 percent of the total child support debt owed in Illinois and across the U.S. is owed by parents who have no reported income or make less than $10,000 per year. Often, parents go into court on child support matters without a lawyer because they cannot afford one. They may be unprepared and uninformed regarding the basics of family law. Many parents who are subject to child support orders do not know, for example, that they

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Establishing paternity

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, May 3, 2018. There are multiple reasons fathers in Illinois should establish paternity. Among them are the legal benefits the child can obtain: The child will be entitled to various forms of financial benefits from the father, including regular child support, Social Security benefits, veteran’s benefits and inheritances. Establishing paternity also allows the child to have access to their father’s medical history, which is useful for learning about any inherited medical conditions that could possibly affect the child. The birth father has two options when he wants

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Tax considerations in child custody cases

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Friday, April 20, 2018. When people are involved in child custody cases in Illinois, there are some important things that they should know about how it might affect their taxes. Child custody may affect the dependency exemptions and the available credits that people can claim on their income tax forms. Parents may receive several tax benefits when they claim their children as dependents. They may receive the dependency exemption, the child tax credit, the earned income credit, and the credit for child care expenses, and they may be

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Bankruptcy has little impact on child support

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Friday, April 6, 2018. Parents in Illinois and throughout the country should be aware that bankruptcy generally will not absolve a parent of his or her obligation to pay child support. Child support is designed to protect the best interests of the child. Therefore, courts strongly believe that both parents should contribute financially toward raising their children. If a parent files for bankruptcy, it doesn’t act as a stay on any action to determine paternity. It also has no impact on any existing child support order or an

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Custodial interference violates the law

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Friday, March 23, 2018. When fathers in Illinois find their custody time frequently interrupted, delayed or denied, they may need to take legal action. Custodial interference occurs when one parent attempts to block or undermine the other parent’s right to custody of their children. In addition to interfering with the practical matters of arranging custody, the practice could harm the emotional bond between the parent and child. Custodial interference is not simply a matter of differing schedules or resolving small issues; it is a criminal matter that should

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How child custody cases are decided

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Judges in Illinois and throughout the country use a variety of factors when making a ruling in a child custody case. The top priority in any case is the best interest of the child. In most cases, both parents will be given equal access to a child assuming that they are both fit to do so. However, a final determination as to a child’s best interest can only be made after reviewing the facts relevant to a given case. Equal custody may not be

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