Child Support Basics in Georgia

Learn how child support is calculated in Georgia, when courts might order a different amount than the standard calculation, when the support ends, and how to get help with child support.

Updated by , Attorney · UC Berkeley School of Law
Updated by E.A. Gjelten, Legal Editor

Georgia—like all states—has guidelines that are meant to give parents and judges a consistent way to calculate the appropriate amount of child support parents will pay when they split up. The guidelines are based on the principles that parents have a legal duty to support their children financially, and that children should receive the same level of support as if the family were still together, based on both parents' income.

The child support guidelines and calculations are complicated. Georgia provides online resources to help (more on those resources below). Still, it helps to understand how the guidelines work and what you'll need to know before you start the process.

Who Pays Child Support in Georgia?

Typically, the parent who doesn't have the children most of the time (the "noncustodial parent") pays child support. That doesn't mean custodial parents are off the hook from their support obligation. The guidelines assume that they meet their support obligation by paying directly for the child's daily needs, such as housing and food.

But this typical scenario doesn't always apply. For instance:

  • If parenting time is equal, the parent with a higher income will generally (but not always) pay child support.
  • If both parents have their kids for significant amounts of time and the custodial parent has a higher income, the noncustodial parent might end up paying no child support—or the custodial parent might even have to pay support. (More below on when the parenting time can affect child support).
  • In cases with split parenting—meaning each parent has physical custody of at least one of their children—the question of who pays child support will depend on their relative income levels and the number of children living with each parent. In this situation, they'll need to prepare a separate worksheet for each parent, showing the calculation for the child or children living with that parent.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(a)(9), (l) (2024).)

How Georgia's Child Support Calculation Works

The basic steps for the basic child support calculation are:

  • Figure each parent's adjusted gross income (AGI) and add them together.
  • Using the basic child support obligation table in the guidelines, find the total basic support amount, based on the number of children being supported and the combined income level on the table that's closest to their actual combined AGI.
  • Calculate each parent's share of that basic support obligation, based on their proportionate share of their combined AGI.
  • Make the appropriate adjustments that are allowed under the guidelines to arrive at the guideline child support amount.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(b) (2024).)

We'll explain more about these steps below.

What Counts as Income When Calculating Child Support in Georgia?

The first thing you need to do before you can calculate child support is to gather information and documentation (such as tax returns) about both parents' income.

Start by adding up each parent's gross monthly income, which includes:

  • salaries, commissions, overtime pay, tips, and severance pay
  • income from self-employment, rents, or a business, less certain ordinary and reasonable expenses (but not all of the self-employment deductions allowed by the IRS on your income tax return)
  • workers' compensation and disability benefits
  • unemployment insurance benefits
  • alimony or maintenance received from a previous spouse (not the other parent in this case)
  • fringe or "in kind" benefits, but only if they significantly reduce personal living expenses (such as housing, room and board, or the use of a company car)
  • income from interest, dividends, capital gains, annuities, and trusts
  • recurring income from pensions and retirement accounts, and
  • Social Security retirement benefits.

Gross income does not include child support received for children from other relationships or means-tested public assistance, like food stamps or SSI.

Although Georgia's guidelines use the term "adjusted gross income," AGI doesn't mean the same thing in this context as it does on income tax returns. To arrive at AGI for the child support calculation, you may deduct:

  • payments you're actually making under a previously issued child support order for a child from another relationship, and
  • one-half of self-employment taxes

If you have natural or adopted children from another relationship living with you, the court may allow you to deduct an amount for their support—but that deduction isn't guaranteed.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(f) (2024).)

When Georgia's Child Support Calculation Uses Imputed Income

Unfortunately, some parents try to avoid or minimize their child support obligation by hiding their true income, quitting their jobs, or switching to part-time work. Georgia's guidelines provide ways of dealing with this kind of behavior.

A judge (or a jury, if a parent has requested a jury trial) may impute income to parents who are voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, or who haven't provided reliable evidence of their actual income. That way, child support will be calculated based on what those parents could be earning in light of the specific circumstances, including their earnings and employment history, skills, education, and obstacles to getting work, as well as the local job market and prevailing wages.

When judges or juries are deciding whether parents are voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, they may also consider circumstances such as:

  • whether those parents have a limited ability to work outside the home because they're caregiving for a child or another disabled or seriously ill relative, or
  • whether the parents are getting training or education that could lead to higher income in the future—and thus ultimately benefit the child.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(f)(4)(A), (f)(4)(D) (2024).)

Calculating Each Parent's Basic Child Support Obligation

To calculate the basic child support obligation—the total amount both parents would pay to support their children in an intact family—first add the parents' monthly adjusted gross incomes together. Then find the closest number to this amount in the first column on Georgia's Basic Child Support Obligation Table, and go across that row until you reach the column for the number of children you have.

To calculate each parent's share of this basic amount, divide each one's income by their combined income. For example, say the noncustodial parent earns $7,000 a month in adjusted gross income, while the custodial parent earns $3,000. The noncustodial parent's share of their combined AGI is 70% ($7,000 divided by $10,000 = .7 or 70%). So the noncustodial parent would be responsible for 70% of the total basic child support obligation shown in the table. Based on the dollar amounts in 2024 for two children, that means the noncustodial parent would have to pay 70% of $1,906, or $1,334.20 a month. (The figures on the table change regularly to reflect inflation.)

Adjustments for Child Care and Health Insurance

The parents' expenses for work-related child care and health insurance premiums for the child are added to the basic child support obligation shown in the table. These costs will be divided between the parents in proportion to their share of the income, and the parent who pays for the expenses will receive a credit.

Uninsured expenses for children's health care aren't included in the child support calculation. But Georgia law requires the parents to divide those expenses in proportion to their share of the combined income, unless the judge orders a different arrangement.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(h) (2024).)

How Does Parenting Time Affect the Amount of Child Support?

Georgia recognizes that noncustodial parents will have additional expenses when they have a significant amount of parenting time, but the basic child support obligation table doesn't take those expenses into account.

As of January 1, 2026, the guidelines include an automatic adjustment for parenting time. Until then, parents will have to ask the court to allow a deviation from the standard guideline calculation because of the expenses related to parenting time (more below on how deviations from the guideline work).

Either way, you'll need to know the exact number of days that each parent will have the children under their child custody order. Generally, a "day" refers to overnights spent with a parent, but the guidelines include a method for calculating days when noncustodial parents regularly have their kids for shorter daytime periods.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(a)(17), (a)(17.1), (g) (2024); Ga. Code 19-6-15(g) (2026).)

How Do Georgia's Guidelines Apply to Low-Income Parents?

Georgia's child support guidelines also recognize that noncustodial parents with very low incomes may not be able to meet their own basic needs after paying the amount of child support under the standard calculation. Until 2026, these parents will need to request a deviation (more on that below).

After January 1, 2006, however, the guideline calculation will automatically include an adjustment for noncustodial parents who earn less than a certain amount (which will depend on the number of children being supported.)

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(b)(8) (2024); Ga. Code § 19-6-15(b)(8), (i1), (p) (2026).)

When Child Support Can Be Different Than the Standard Calculation

The amount of child support calculated under Georgia's guidelines is considered the "presumptive" amount, meaning that courts presume it's the appropriate amount. But parents may request a higher or lower amount (known as a "deviation").

A judge or jury will grant that request only if evidence shows that:

  • the guideline amount would be unfair or inappropriate
  • the deviation would serve the child's best interests, and
  • the deviation wouldn't seriously impair the custodial parent's ability to provide the child with adequate housing, food, clothing, and other basic necessities.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(i) (2024).)

Reasons for Deviations from the Child Support Guidelines

Various circumstances might justify a deviation from presumptive child support, including when:

  • the parents' adjusted gross income is more than the highest amount shown on the basic child support obligation table ($40,000 a month, as of 2024)
  • the parents have substantial travel expenses related to parenting time because they live far apart
  • parents have extraordinary expenses, including expenses for a child's special needs or education, or for activities meant to enhance the child's development (like summer camp, music or art lessons, band, athletics, and other extracurricular activities)
  • there are extraordinary medical expenses for the child or a parent
  • one of the parents is entitled to the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
  • either parent is paying for life insurance for the child's benefit, and
  • the noncustodial parent is paying alimony to the noncustodial parent or is paying for or providing a home for the custodial parent and the children.

As discussed above, parents may also request a deviation based on parenting time or low income through 2025; after that, these circumstances will be incorporated into the standard guideline calculation as adjustments. (Ga. Code § 19-6-15(i) (2024).)

Can Parents Agree on Child Support?

You and your co-parent always have the option of agreeing on an amount of child support. You'll need to submit your agreement to the court, along with the worksheets showing the guideline calculation. If you've agreed to a different amount, you'll also need to explain the reasons why a deviation is justified (as discussed above).

If you can't agree, a judge will generally decide for you. Unlike the vast majority of states, Georgia allows parents to request a jury trial on child support. If they do, the jury will make decisions about only the parents' income and whether they qualify for a deviation.

(Ga. Code § 19-6-15(c)(5), (c)(6), (i) (2024).)

When Does Child Support End in Georgia?

In Georgia, child support generally ends when the child turns 18 or is otherwise emancipated. However, if the child is still attending high school after turning 18, the judge may order that child support will continue until the child graduates—but not beyond age 20. (Ga. Code § 19-6-15(e) (2024).)

Either parent may file a request for support of an adult child who isn't capable of self-support, such as because of a serious disability. (Ga. Code § 19-6-15.1 (2024).)

More Resources and Help With Child Support

Georgia's Child Support Commission provides an online child support calculator. You'll need to sign up and create an account. In addition to showing you the guideline amount of child support in your case (based on the information you provide), the calculator will create the necessary worksheets and schedules.

You'll submit those worksheets when you file for divorce or "separate maintenance" in Georgia, or when you apply for child support through Georgia's Division of Child Support Services (CSS).

CSS can also help if you need help enforcing child support in Georgia. And you can ask CSS to review your support order to see if you qualify for a modification of child support under Georgia law.

Be aware that Georgia makes regular changes to its child support guidelines. You can find a link to the most recent version of the guidelines (in section 19-6-15 of the Georgia Code) on the Georgia Child Support Commission's Legislation, Rules, and Guidelines page.

Despite all of these resources, there are situations when you may need to speak with a lawyer. This is especially true if you think you qualify for a deviation from the standard guideline calculation, but your co-parent doesn't agree. An experienced, local family law attorney can help you gather the kind of evidence needed to convince a judge or jury that the presumptive amount of child support would be unfair or inappropriate in your situation.

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