Private School

The cost that one parent pays for a minor child's private school tuition and other expenses is one of the most common expenses often included in Georgia's Child Support Worksheet as Extraordinary Educational Expenses. The Extraordinary Educational Expense deviation is one of the many non-mandatory or discretionary deviations that may be made to the presumptive child support amount in Georgia if the presiding judge determines the deviation is warranted. See O.C.G.A. §19-6-15(i)(2)(J). As can be seen below,the Extraordinary Educational Expense deviation is a subsection of the Extraordinary and Special Expenses deviation found specifically on line 12(a) of Schedule E.

Although the above pictured lines of Schedule E of Georgia's Child Support Worksheet are where this deviation may be found, it is not possible to input data directly in the field within these lines. Supplemental Table 1, which is also found in Schedule E of the worksheet, must be completed in order to populate the appropriate fields of line 12(a). Specifically, as pictured on the example worksheet below, lines 2 through 7 must be completed, as applicable, to take advantage of the extraordinary Educational Expense deviation. Once this portion of the supplemental table is completed, the resulting amounts will automatically appear on line 12(a) of Schedule E. Using the figures represented on the below figured sample worksheet, the following example reflects what impact this deviation has on the final child support amount.

Mother is non-custodial parent and Father is custodial parent. Based on each parent's income, Father's presumptive child support obligation is $887.00 per month. Father pays $6,000 per year for Child 1's private school tuition, fees and books. Father seeks a deviation based on this amount. If approved, Father's child support obligation will be deviated downward, and the final child support amount will equal $540.00 per month.

For more on how to complete a child support worksheet in Georgia or for more regarding Extraordinary and Special Expenses deviations generally, see our sections on this topic.