A man from Illinois says he’s going through what he describes as a financial “rough patch.” At a time when many people turn to family for help—or at least understanding—Instagram user Barnett Jenkins says the only person who ultimately gave him relief was a judge. His court-ordered child support payment now stands at $13.49. Jenkins explained the circumstances that led to the ruling. Before running into financial difficulties, he says he voluntarily paid $300 per week in child support despite there being no court order. When his finances became strained, he says he asked the child’s mother if he could temporarily reduce those payments to $150 for two to three months until he got back on his feet. According to Jenkins, he also takes his daughter to school every day, picks her up, pays for daycare, and has custody of her three days a week. He suggests that his relationship with his daughter’s mother had deteriorated to the point where she was unwilling to accept a temporary reduction, so the matter ended up in court. The judge ultimately set his child support obligation at $13.49. Jenkins celebrated by posting a photo of his first payment, and the image quickly spread across social media. https://www.instagram.com/p/DavIw8IOBiy The internet was split On Instagram, many users congratulated him. One wrote, “It’s always the dads who don’t deserve to be on child support that get it the worst. That’s shit bold. Glad you were able to get that adjustment granted!” Another added, “It is a flex, no matter what the women in the back are saying. He was already supporting his child and taking responsibility. She wanted more, filed for child support, and ended up getting less. Stop being so greedy and hateful.” On X, much of the reaction was tongue-in-cheek. One user joked, “That’s a subscription fee.” Others posted memes, including clips of Will Smith freestyle rapping, calling it “the bounce back,” while some simply described the ruling as karma. Not everyone shared his excitement. One user wrote, “You’re happy, yet it’s your child you’ll be punishing. It’s not her you are paying for; it’s your kid. What’s wrong with that man?” Another added, “Can’t believe he’s happy about paying $13 a month for his own child’s support. I mean that’s ridiculous. Do you know how expensive things are?” You're happy, yet it's your child you'll be punishing. It's not her you are paying for; it's your kid. What's wrong with that man?— Queen B (@D3f_ulty) July 16, 2026 Can’t believe he’s happy about paying $13 a month for his own child’s support I mean that’s ridiculous do you know how expensive things are fr — SophMayor (@sophmayor) July 16, 2026 Illinois are thorough when determining child support costs In Illinois, when parents share parenting time for at least 146 overnights per year, courts may apply what’s known as the Shared Parenting Adjustment. The formula recognizes that both parents are directly covering many of the child’s day-to-day expenses, which can significantly reduce the child support obligation depending on each parent’s income and financial responsibilities. The state also uses the Illinois Child Support Calculator to account for additional costs such as daycare, health insurance, medical expenses, and school-related costs when determining a final support amount. Without access to the full court record, it’s impossible to know exactly how the judge arrived at the $13.49 figure. Child support calculations typically take into account factors such as each parent’s income, parenting time, and responsibility for the child’s expenses. Whatever the public reaction may be, those details—not just the payment amount itself—are generally what determine the final order.