"Income" defined broadly for support purposes

In the latest ISBA Family Law newsletter, Roza Gossage reminds her fellow family law section members that "income" is more than just a child support obligor's regular paycheck, at least for purposes of determining how much the obligor owes. It can include gifts, investments, royalties, and just about anything else the obligor gets by way of payment, not just what he or she earns. "The Illinois statute relating to income is one of inclusion and not a differentiation or exclusion of the types of income," Gossage writes. "This is consistent with Illinois public policy of maximizing child support awards." She backs up her argument with a review of the cases.