College Expenses After a Divorce: Who Pays?

 Posted on August 31, 2020 in Illinois Family Law

If you are in the process of filing for divorce in DuPage County, or you are planning to file for divorce, you may have questions about child support and college expenses after the divorce. In particular, if you and your spouse have one or more children who are nearing the age where they will attend college, the matter of paying for college expenses can become contentious, especially if you had college expenses plans in place that will be difficult to maintain after a divorce. You might want to know: can the court order one or both of the parents to pay for college expenses under Illinois law?

According to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA), in a divorce, educational expenses for a non-minor child can be awarded. The following information can help you to learn more about how this works. If you have additional questions or need assistance, you should reach out to an Oakbrook Terrace divorce lawyer. The advocates at Farooqi & Husain Law Office are committed to serving the Muslim community and can begin working with you on your case today.

What Are Educational Expenses for a Non-Minor Child?

Under the IMDMA, educational expenses for a non-minor child are essentially college expenses. In a divorce case, the court can award money out of the income or property of either spouse for the educational expenses of any child. The court can also require either or both parties to do or pay the following:

• Complete financial aid forms
• Provide money for the child to pay for up to five applications
• Provide money to pay for to entrance exams
• Provide money to pay for the cost of one entrance exam prep course
• Pay post-secondary tuition and fees as long as they do not exceed the amount of in-state tuition and fees paid by a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Pay the child’s medical and dental expenses
• Provide reasonable living expenses during the academic year and during school breaks
• Pay for books and other necessary supplies to attend college

The court ultimately can order one or both parents to pay costs directly or to provide money to the child. If the parents are ordered to pay college expenses, the court can require the child to consent for the paying parents to have access to his or her educational transcripts.

Contact a DuPage County Divorce Attorney to Learn More

If you have questions or concerns about costs after a divorce, including college expenses, one of our skilled DuPage County divorce attorneys can help. We have been serving the DuPage County Muslim community for years and are here to assist you. Contact Farooqi & Husain Law Office today online or call us at 630-909-9114 to learn more.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59