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No Retroactive Child Support in Georgia

Many states embrace the concept of retroactive child support or “back child support,” but Georgia is not one of those states.  Although there are certain circumstances under which a custodial parent may recover some of the costs actually incurred caring for a minor child from the non-custodial parent, a Georgia court will not award a custodial parent a set monthly award for a past period of time during which a valid child support order was not in place. O.C.G.A. §19-6-15.

What this means practically for non-custodial parents is a court will not require a non-custodial parent to pay the custodial parent the amount of monthly support that he or she would have otherwise been required to pay from the date of the child’s birth to the present if a valid child support order was in place. For example:

Child was born in 2000. Mother did not seek and obtain a valid child support order against Father until 2013. In 2013, Father is ordered to pay Mother $500 per month in child support. Father must pay this monthly amount going forward. He will not be required to pay Mother $500 per month for the 13 years that elapsed prior to the entry of the child support order (or $78,000).

Georgia law does not recognize the concept of back child support, but it does not totally abandon custodial parents who have incurred considerable expenses caring for their children without the aid of the non-custodial parents. Once a prospective child support order is entered, a Georgia court may order the non-custodial parent to reimburse the custodial parent for a portion of the expenses incurred on half of the minor child or children.

Although this is very uncommon, if the custodial parent can prove the actual expenses incurred on behalf of the minor child (these may include pre-natal and post-birth expenses), a court may order the non-custodial parent to reimburse a portion of these expenses. Weaver v. Chester, 195 Ga. App. 471 (1990); Coxwell v. Matthews, 263 Ga. 444 (Ga., 1993); Smith v. Carter, 305 Ga. App. 479 (2010).

 

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Child Support
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