Ga Child Support 2024

Ga child support may be an issue when there are minor children involved in a domestic relations case, such as a divorce case. There are specific ways to calculate the amount of Georgia child support. There are also multiple ways to enforce Georgia child support.

Is Ga child support mandatory?

Yes, Ga child support is mandatory. In Georgia, each parent has a duty to support his or her child, so child support is mandatory. Generally, this duty of support means each parent has to provide for the maintenance, protection, and education of his or her child until the child reaches the age of 18, dies, marries, or becomes emancipated, whichever first occurs. Ga child support belongs to the child, so Georgia child support cannot be waived by a parent.

How is Ga child support calculated?

Pursuant to Georgia child support laws, Georgia child support amount is calculated as follows:

Both parents’ amount of monthly gross income is the starting point when calculating the amount of child support in Georgia. Under certain circumstances, a parent’s income may be imputed. The monthly gross income is adjusted to account for any self-employment taxes, preexisting child support orders for different children, and theoretical child support for certain children. Then, you combine each parent’s adjusted income and look for a corresponding amount of basic child support obligation in the chart provided the relevant statute.

Then, you calculate the pro rata share of the basic child support amount for the custodial parent and the noncustodial parent by dividing the combined adjusted income into each parent’s adjusted income to get each parent’s pro rata percentage of the basic child support obligation.

This basic child support obligation is adjusted by adding the additional expenses of the costs of health insurance and work related child care costs. Then, you would determine the presumptive amount of child support by assigning or deducting credit for actual payments for health insurance and work related child care costs from the basic child support obligation. Further, certain “deviations” may be taken into account to change the presumptive amount of child support.  

Georgia child support calculator is available online to help you calculate the amount of child support in Georgia. The online Georgia child support calculator allows to print or save the Georgia child support worksheet.

Does a mother’s income affect child support in Georgia?

Yes, both a mother’s and father’s amount of monthly income is taken into account when calculating the amount of Georgia child support. If the mother is not working, her amount of monthly income may be imputed.

What is the average amount of money for Georgia child support?

Because Georgia child support laws require consideration of many factors when calculating the amount of child support, such as the amount of each parent’s monthly income, costs related to health insurance and work related care, “deviations” (for certain factors such as high income, low income, life insurance, child and dependent care tax credit, travel expenses, etc.), and other factors, it is difficult to guess how much child support will be paid on average without actually calculating the child support amount using the Georgia child support guidelines.

Further, you should note that the child support amount you get using the child support guidelines may not always be the final number. That is, the court may change this amount of child support according to the best interest of the child, the circumstances of the parents, the state policy of affording to children of unmarried parents, to the extent possible, the same economic standard of living enjoyed by children living in intact families consisting of parents with similar financial means, and other factors.

At what age does child support stop in Georgia? Does back child support go away after child turns 18?

Georgia child support laws imposes a duty on a parent to support his or her child until the child reaches the age of 18, dies, marries, or becomes emancipated, whichever occurs first, the duration of child support depends on the court order.

That is, the court may order that Ga child support be continued for a child who has not previously married or become emancipated, who is enrolled in and attending a secondary school, and who has attained the age of 18 before completing his or her secondary school education. This extended child support duration shall not be required after the child attains 20 years of age. Although future child support obligation may stop at certain point in time, any child support arrearages accrued will not automatically go away unless paid.  

Does father always pay Georgia child support?

No, the father does not always pay child support in Georgia. Generally, the noncustodial parent pays child support to the custodial parent, which may be the father. Thus, mothers may also be ordered to pay child support in Georgia.

Contact a divorce attorney Atlanta for a free consultation.

Categories Child Support and Alimony, DivorceTags , , ,

Comments are closed.

Discover more from Atlanta Divorce Lawyer

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

search previous next tag category expand menu location phone mail time cart zoom edit close