Until January 1, 2007, Georgia calculated child support based solely on the income of the non-custodial parent. Support was set within a percentage range depending on the number of children at issue. The primary complaint about the “income percentage range model” was that the custodial parent’s income was never considered, and that child support was the same no matter if the custodial parent made a lot of money or no money at all. The widely held belief at that time was that this particular model caused non-custodial parents to pay more child support than was equitable. The legislature’s remedy? The “income shares model”.

Under the “income shares model”, under which Georgia law currently operates, the legislature created a Child Support Calculator, which considers and combines each party’s gross monthly income from all sources, and determines, based on a set Table, how much it costs to raise children. Once this base amount of support is established, then it is divided between the parties, based on each party’s pro rate share of the combined total income. However, it is the non-custodial parent who ultimately pays child support to the custodial parent.

That said, there are “adjustments” and/or “deviations” that can be applied, subject to the Court’s discretion, to either increase or decrease the non-custodial parent’s child support obligation, such as the cost associated with the children’s health insurance coverage, the costs incurred by either or both parties in association with work-related childcare, the costs incurred by either or both parties in association with the children’s tutoring, extracurricular activities, and/or extraordinary medical expenses, and/or perhaps the parties exercise of equal parenting time.

Attorney, Stephanie Wilson, is well-versed in child support matters, and in consideration of her extreme attention-to-detail, will ensure that child support properly and precisely calculated, based on the unique facts of your case.