{"id":372711,"date":"2018-06-26T16:53:22","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T21:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/georgia-law\/georgia-child-support-calculations.html"},"modified":"2025-02-20T11:09:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T16:09:54","slug":"georgia-child-support-calculations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/georgia-law\/georgia-child-support-calculations.html","title":{"rendered":"Georgia Child Support Calculations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Georgia Child Support Calculations<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

The purpose of child support<\/a> is to ensure that children continue to get support from both parents once they divorce or separate. The question is how much child support the parents will have to pay.<\/p>\r\n

In most child support cases, the court orders the noncustodial parent (NCP) to make monthly child support payments to the other parent. This is because the parent with primary physical custody<\/a> usually has the children.<\/p>\r\n

Of course, there are situations where the custodial parent<\/a> makes significantly more money than the NCP. If this is the case, the court may order the custodial parent to pay child support to the NCP. But these cases are few and far between.<\/p>\r\n

Here, we’ll explain how the Georgia courts calculate child support<\/a>. We will also discuss the factors that impact the amount of child support the NCP must pay.<\/p>\r\n

If you have questions about your child support case, visit FindLaw’s sections on child custody and child support. You can also contact an experienced family law attorney<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Does Every State Have Child Support Guidelines?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Under federal law, lawmakers in every state must publish child support guidelines at least once every four years. Federal Regulation \u00a745.302.56<\/a> demands that the state base its child support guidelines on both parents’ monthly income, and this income includes all sources of revenue.<\/p>\r\n

Federal law also requires that child support guidelines<\/a> account for the NCP’s basic needs and any extraordinary expenses they must pay.<\/p>\r\n

Finally, \u00a745.302.56(f)<\/a>, the courts must treat the final child support amount as presumptive. If the NCP believes the total amount of child support should be lower or the custodial parent doesn’t believe it’s high enough, they can challenge the court’s findings.<\/p>\r\n

In the State of Georgia, the Georgia Child Support Commission<\/a> establishes and regularly reviews the state’s child support guidelines and maintains the Georgia Child Support Calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Georgia Child Support Calculations at a Glance<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The following table highlights Georgia law on child support calculations and links to Georgia’s child support guidelines<\/a> statutes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Statute<\/th>\r\n

O.C.G.A. \u00a719-6-15<\/a> (Georgia Child Support Guidelines and Child Support Obligation Table)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Overview of the process for calculating child support<\/th>\r\n

The Georgia courts calculate monthly child support as follows:<\/p>\r\n

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  1. Determine the monthly gross income of the custodial and noncustodial parent.<\/li>\r\n
  2. Adjust each parent’s monthly gross income by deducting (a) half of any self-employment taxes<\/a> (if applicable), (b) preexisting child support orders and alimony, and (c) theoretical child support for qualified children (if allowed by the court).<\/li>\r\n
  3. Add the parents’ adjusted income<\/a> together.<\/li>\r\n
  4. Find the basic child support obligation on the child support obligation table<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n
  5. Divide the combined adjusted income of both parents into each parent’s adjusted income to determine each parent’s share of the basic child support obligation<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n
  6. Add health insurance<\/a> and work-related childcare costs to find the adjusted child support obligation.<\/li>\r\n
  7. Determine the amount of child support for the custodial and noncustodial parents, resulting in a monthly payment to the custodial parent, by assigning or deducting credit for actual payments for work-related childcare costs and health insurance from the basic child support obligation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
Deviations from the presumptive amount of child support<\/th>\r\n

The court can deviate from the presumptive amount of child support<\/a> if it doesn\u2019t believe it meets the "best interests of the child" standard.<\/p>\r\n

Deviations may include (but are not limited to) the following:<\/p>\r\n

Related statutes<\/th>\r\n

Georgia Code, Title 19, Chapter 11:<\/p>\r\n