If you have a child with special needs, you may worry about how their extra care will affect child support payments in 2026. Unfortunately, parents of children with special needs get divorced much more often than other parents.
This can put a lot of strain on whoever ends up taking the most care of the child. Children with disabilities often need more medical care, therapy, and support than other children. Illinois law understands this and allows courts to change child support to meet these needs. If you need help with child support questions, our Cook County family law attorney can guide you through.
What Makes a Child “Special Needs” Under Illinois Law?
Illinois does not have one legal definition of “special needs” for child support purposes. Instead, courts look at whether a child has physical, mental, or emotional disabilities that cost more money than raising a child without them.