In January 2007, the Georgia child support law changed drastically to base child support obligations on both parties’ incomes. Prior to the child support law change, the non-custodial parent often paid a straight percentage of his or her income to the custodial parent as child support. The Georgia legislature created a child support calculator that determines the amount of child support that a non-custodial parent should pay based on the number of children, the parents’ incomes, and the costs of childcare and education for the children. The Georgia child support worksheet accounts for the children’s expenses, such as monthly health insurance premiums, child care expenses, tutoring, private school education and extra-curricular activities and divides such costs pro rata between the parents.

The Georgia child support calculator is constantly changing and is still a work in progress. Effective September 1, 2009, the child support worksheet changed to allow the courts to determine when a low income credit should apply. Prior to September 1, 2009, a party with an income under a set amount was automatically entitled to a deviation that allowed that parent to reduce his or her child support obligation. Under the new Georgia child support law, a parent wishing to apply a low income deviation must make a request to the court and obtain an order from a judge allowing the deviation and reducing the child support obligation. The Georgia child support worksheet also allows for deviations upwards when a non-custodial parent makes more than $30,000 per month, which results in an increased child support obligation.

With the child support calculator, the legislature streamlined the calculation of child support obligations. The child support worksheet allows two W-2 employees to quickly determine the child support obligation of each parent. However, the process can still be difficult for a self-employed parties or business owners who exercise control over their incomes. Regardless of your income situation, the lawyers at The Law Offices of Betty Nguyen Davis have extensive experience with the Georgia child support calculators and will ensure that you pay or receive a fair amount of child support. You can find a downloadable child support worksheet here: cscal.gaaoc.us. If you have any questions about child support in Georgia, please call The Law Offices of Betty Nguyen Davis at (404) 593-2620 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney.