Senate Bill 454 Brings Changes to Georgia's Child Support Guidelines
Georgia is set to
overhaul its child support system with the introduction of Senate Bill 454,
which brings significant changes to the Child Support Guidelines codified at
O.C.G.A. ยง 19-6-15. These updates aim to enhance uniformity and mathematical
precision in calculating child support, ensuring fair and consistent outcomes
for all parties involved.
Georgia Senate Bill 454 Key Change: Parenting Time Adjustment
A major change
introduced by SB 454 is the replacement of the current "parenting time
deviation" with a "parenting time adjustment," which will become
mandatory in child support calculations starting January 1, 2026. The parenting
time adjustment is designed to precisely decrease the Basic Child Support
Obligation for the noncustodial parent, reflecting the child-rearing expenses
incurred during their court-ordered parenting time.
Calculation Methodology
The new law provides
a detailed method for calculating the parenting time adjustment:
Determine Parenting
Time: Calculate the number of court-ordered days each parent spends with the
child over a two-year period to find the annual average.
Raise Days to Power
of 2.5: For both parents, raise the number of court-ordered days to the power
of 2.5.
Multiply by Child
Support Share: Multiply the result of the noncustodial parent's days by the
custodial parent's share of the Basic Child Support Obligation, and vice versa.
Subtract and Divide:
Subtract the result of the noncustodial parent's calculation from the custodial
parent's, then divide by the sum of the two results from step 2.
Adjust Obligation:
Add the result to the noncustodial parent's basic child support obligation to
determine the final amount.
Example Calculation:
Consider a scenario
with two minor children:
Custodial parent: 215
days/year
Noncustodial parent:
150 days/year
Custodial parent's
income: $5,000/month
Noncustodial parent's
income: $6,000/month
Combined income:
$11,000/month
Basic Child Support
Obligation: $2,052/month
Custodial parent's
share: $923.40/month
Noncustodial parent's
share: $1,128.60/month
Applying the formula:
- 1502.5
= 275,567.59
- 2152.5
= 677,791.55
- 275,567.59
x $923.40 = 254,459,112.60
- 677,791.55
x $1,128.60 = 764,955,543.33
- 254,459,112.60
- 764,955,543.33 = -510,496,430.73
- -510,496,430.73 / (275,567.59
+ 677,791.55) = -535.47
- -535.47 + $1,128.60 = $593.13
In this example, the noncustodial parent's Basic Child Support Obligation is reduced to $593.13 per month due to the parenting time adjustment, demonstrating how increased parenting time leads to a decrease in support obligations.