Due to modifications made in the Illinois Marriage Dissolution of Marriage Act, the way that alimony, also called maintenance, is calculated has been altered. The amendments were initially effective in January of 2015 and are vital for anyone planning to file for divorce in the state of Illinois. To better understand these changes and how they may affect you, it is wise to hire Arlington Heights maintenance attorneys. You can also use the information here.
Changes in the Maintenance Law
Before the amendments were actually enforced, judges in the state held a significant amount of discretion when figuring out the amount and duration of maintenance awarded in divorces. They had to consider 12 factors for each case, but making an accurate determination was challenging, and in some cases, made based on the judge’s opinion.
While the 12 factors are still used for some cases, the new guidelines use standardized formulas.
New Formulas for Calculating Maintenance
While your Arlington Heights maintenance attorneys can provide more information, the new formula to calculate maintenance in Illinois include taking 30 percent of the payer’s income, minus 20 percent of the receiver’s income, which gives you your maintenance amount.
A special note is that the income cannot exceed 40 percent of the combined income of both the spouses. To determine the duration of maintenance, the length of the marriage is multiplied by the corresponding percentage, which has been outlined by the new guidelines.
If you are filing for divorce and expect to pay or receive maintenance in Illinois, then hiring Arlington Heights maintenance attorneys is the best course of action. Your attorney can help you better understand what to expect.
Find out more about new divorce laws in Illinois by visiting the Law Office of Fedor Kozlov, P.C. website.
