Child support orders aren’t designed to stay exactly the same until the child grows into an adult. Circumstances change, and orders can change with them. Whether or not this can be done outside of a courtroom depends on how your original child support order was established.
If you need to change a child support order in 2026, a Chicago, IL child support lawyer can help you understand what options are available to you.
How Does Your Type of Child Support Order Affect the Modification Process in Illinois?
Illinois has two main types of child support orders: judicial orders and administrative orders. The type you have determines where and how modification happens.
Judicial Orders
A judicial order is one that was entered by a family law court. These are often part of a divorce, parentage, or custody case. If you have a judicial order, any modification has to go through the court. You file a petition and must then demonstrate to the court that the old order isn’t working anymore. The court then decides whether to modify the order.