Grandparents' Rights and Financial Assistance

 Posted on September 12, 2012 in Child Custody

The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is a very special one. Most grandparents would do just about anything for their grandchildren. For many grandparents this involves contributing financially to their grandchildren's upbringing. Even when grandparents support their grandchildren financially or in other ways, however, at times their rights to spend time with their grandchildren may be limited by the children's parents, leaving grandparents unsure where to turn.

Two different trends are currently going on. One is that more grandparents are now financially supporting their grandchildren than ever before. According to AARP, 25 percent of grandparents spend over $1,000 each year on their grandchildren. Over a third reported helping to cover their grandchildren's daily living expenses.

The other trend is regarding grandparents' rights, which have not been growing at nearly the same rate as their financial contributions. In fact, since the 2000 U.S. Supreme Court case of Troxel v. Granville, parents have been given more rights to determine when and if their children are allowed to see their grandparents. This can lead to a very frustrating situation for many grandparents desperate to visit with their grandkids.

Regardless of whether grandparents support their grandchildren financially or not, grandparents' do have some rights to see their grandchildren under certain circumstances. Since this is a complex area of law, however, it is valuable to discuss your case with a knowledgeable Illinois family law attorney. An experienced attorney can provide information about the laws in Illinois governing grandparents' rights and advice about how best to proceed in your unique situation.

Source: Reuters, "Grandparents, purse strings and divorce," Temma Ehrenfeld, July 23, 2012