New York Daily News reported that British actor Jude Law finally met his six-month-old daughter Sophia, now six months old, for the first time. He also delivered the details of his child support and visitation arrangements with Sophia and her mother, model Samantha Burke.
Mr. Law's attorney drafted an agreement that entitles Ms. Burke to roughly $5,000 per month in child support. The agreement also outlines his visitation rights, according to an unnamed friend of Ms. Burke quoted by the paper:
"His visit was fleeting and seemed mainly businesslike. Jude will visit his daughter at least twice a year, once around Christmas."
Mr. Law met Ms. Burke in 2008 when he was filming "Sherlock Holmes" in Manhattan and the two engaged in a short-lived fling. Mr. Law has three other children from a previous marriage. It seems as if Mr. Law opted to share more of his money with his new daughter than his time, if Ms. Burke's friend is right about the visitation agreement.
But what about unmarried Chicago parents who are not movie stars?
The income of the non-custodial parent is one of the first things considered when determining child support, FindLaw explains. Lucky for baby Sophia, her daddy's is well off and can afford to send a $5,000 check for her support each month (in fact, that seems kind of low). But $60,000 a year to support a young child seems adequate when you consider the cost of raising a child, which FindLaw explains is the other determining factor in child support.
State law calculates child support payments for one child as 20 percent of the non-custodial parent's net income, according to Illinois Child Support Enforcement. It goes up to 28 percent for two children, all the way up to 50 percent for six or more children. Visitation schedules usually are left up to the parents, according to FindLaw.
Any custodial parent in Chicago who believes their child's other parent is not holding up his or her end of the deal should call an Illinois family lawyer for advice.
Related Resources:
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Illinois Child Support Enforcement (State of Illinois)
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Bristol Palin Demands Child Support From Levi Johnston (FindLaw Celebrity Justice Blog)
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Locate a Chicago Family Law Attorney (FindLaw)
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