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If you have divorce questions

Is Child Support Mandatory in the State of Georgia?

What is Child Support?

If you have minor children, you might have questions about child support. Georgia requires parents to provide adequate support for their minor children. Georgia law requires the Court to specify the amount, duration, recipient, manner of payment and deviations for child support in any divorce action where there are minor children. Child support can also be ordered in cases where the parents are separated but were never married.

Child support is meant to provide the minor child with monetary support for food, clothing, shelter, health insurance, and basic education expenses until the age of 18, or when the minor child graduates from high school. An award of child support may also include childcare expenses, extraordinary medical expenses, visitation travel costs, and expenses for extracurricular activities. Because this support is for the child's benefit, parents may not waive their minor child's right support.

Is Paying Off Your Child's Car Considered Child Support?

How Much Child Support Will I Get?


Child support is typically paid to the custodial parent (the parent with custody of the child more than half the time) from the noncustodial parent. Georgia child support is calculated through a Child Support Worksheet, using the "Income Shares Model," which utilizes both parents' gross income to determine the amount of child support and to whom the child support shall be paid. It is within the Court's discretion to raise or reduce the amount of child support owed based on deviations like the parents' high income (over $30,000 per month combined), health related insurance, or travel expenses. Georgia's use of the "Income Shares Model" means that a higher earning custodial parent who has joint or primary custody could still pay child support to the other parent for any custodial time or visits that parent has with the child.

Written by: Savannah Lane Orange

Categories:

Child Support
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