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If you are divorced, legally separated, or living apart from the other parent of your child, you may be entitled to receive child support from the other parent. Child support is money one…
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Help ILAO open opportunities for justiceIn most cases, child support payments are taken directly out of the paying parent's paycheck.
The process starts when a Notice to Withhold Income for Support is sent to the paying parent's employer. The employer must follow the Notice by taking the child support out of the paycheck and sending the child support to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU). The SDU then records the child support payment and sends the payment to the other parent.
The parent paying child support must make sure that their employer is taking the right amount from their paycheck for their child support payment. If the employer does not take out the child support from the paycheck and send it to the SDU, the paying parent must send it themselves.
Employers may be fined up to $100 per day if they do not withhold child support.
No matter what kind of agreement the parents have, it is best that all payments are sent to the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) because the SDU keeps a record of all payments. This can help prevent arguments in the future.
The Illinois SDU's mailing address is:
State Disbursement Unit
P.O. Box 5400
Carol Stream, IL 60197-5400
Child support should not be paid straight to the other parent unless the child support order says otherwise. If the child support order says to pay the parent receiving child support directly, never pay in cash. Use a money order or check so there is a record of the payment.
If child support is paid directly to the other parent, the other parent and the State of Illinois may say that payment is still owed. It will then be on the paying parent to prove that they already paid that child support. This is why it is important to keep records of all payments.