Georgia Child Support Calculator & Guide (2025)

Overview of Georgia Child Support

Georgia calculates child support using the Income Shares Model as defined in O.C.G.A. 19-6-15. This model estimates the total amount parents would spend on their children if the family were intact, then divides that obligation proportionally between the parents based on each parent's share of combined gross income.

Georgia transitioned to the Income Shares Model in 2007 and updated its guidelines effective January 1, 2024. The 2024 revisions modernized the income tables, refined parenting time deviation calculations, and updated the schedule of basic child support obligations to reflect current economic conditions.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Georgia

The calculation follows these steps:

1. Determine gross income for both parents (salary, wages, bonuses, commissions, self-employment, disability, Social Security, unemployment, pensions, rental income)
2. Adjust gross income by subtracting pre-existing child support obligations, alimony paid, and self-employment taxes
3. Combine adjusted gross incomes to get total household income
4. Find the basic obligation from the Georgia Child Support Commission's guidelines table based on combined income and number of children
5. Add health insurance premiums for the child and work-related childcare costs
6. Add extraordinary expenses such as special education or extraordinary medical costs
7. Allocate proportionally — each parent's share is based on their percentage of combined income
8. Apply deviations for parenting time, shared physical custody, or other warranted adjustments

Example Calculation

Key Factors in Georgia Calculations

Income Definition

Georgia uses gross income (before taxes and deductions) for the initial calculation. Income includes employment wages, self-employment income, disability benefits, Social Security benefits, unemployment compensation, pension and retirement income, rental income, workers' compensation, and recurring income from any source. The court may impute income for voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parents.

Parenting Time Deviation

Georgia provides a parenting time deviation when the non-custodial parent has significant overnight parenting time. Under the 2024 guidelines, the deviation is calculated based on a percentage scale tied to the number of overnights, reducing the support obligation to account for direct expenses incurred during parenting time.

Health Insurance and Childcare

Health insurance premiums for the child and work-related childcare costs are added to the basic support obligation and shared proportionally between parents based on their income shares. Both parents' actual costs are considered in the calculation.

Extraordinary Expenses

Georgia allows addition of extraordinary expenses to the support obligation, including special education costs, extraordinary medical expenses not covered by insurance, and other expenses the court deems appropriate given the child's needs.

Minimum and Maximum Amounts

Georgia does not have a fixed statutory minimum or maximum child support amount. The guidelines are a rebuttable presumption — the calculated amount is presumed correct unless either parent demonstrates that the amount would be unjust or inappropriate. The court may deviate from the guidelines with written findings explaining the reasons for deviation.

For low-income parents, Georgia provides a low-income adjustment that considers the obligor's ability to pay while maintaining a minimum standard of living.

Modification and Enforcement

Modification

Either parent can request a modification by filing a petition with the superior court. Modification requires a showing of:

• A substantial change in either parent's financial status or the child's needs
• Significant change in income (increase or decrease)
• Change in custody or parenting time arrangement
• Emancipation of a child
• Change in healthcare or childcare costs

Enforcement

The Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Child Support Services enforces child support through:

• Income withholding orders
• Tax refund interception (state and federal)
• Driver's license suspension
• Professional and business license suspension
• Credit bureau reporting
• Property liens
• Contempt of court proceedings
• Passport denial for arrears exceeding $2,500

Get your Georgia child support estimate now: Use our free calculator to see what you might owe or receive under Georgia guidelines.