A parenting plan must be submitted to the court within 120 days of filing for parental rights (Petition for Allocation for Parental Responsibilities). If both parents agree on the terms of the proposed parenting plan, they can jointly file it with the court. If the parents have not come to an agreement over the terms, they can each file a proposed parenting plan separately for the court to determine.

In Illinois, child support is determined by a set of statutory guidelines based on the income shares model, which uses the combined net income of both parents.^[1]

Use the Illinois Child Support Estimator to calculate the estimated amount of child support that will be ordered by the court.

To file for custody as part of a divorce, complete the following forms:

• Petition for Dissolution of Marri
• age/Civil Union (Divorce With Children)
• Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage/Civil Union (Divorce With Children)
• Parenting Plan
• Summons (if needed)
• Entry of Appearance (if needed)

Submit the completed documents electronically using the Illinois courts’ online portal. The proposed parenting plan must be signed by both parents if submitting jointly. The filing fee for a parental responsibility petition ranges between $300 to $400, depending on the court jurisdiction.

If the parents are unable to reach a settlement through mediation, the court will conduct a hearing or a trial to determine a parenting plan that is in the best interest of the child. The court may also order an evidentiary hearing if it does not approve a jointly filed parenting plan.

If approved by the court, all the terms in the parenting plan become legally binding unless a change in circumstances makes it necessary to modify it.