6 Things You Need To Know About Georgia Child Support
Divorce is painful and emotional for all parties involved, especially when children are affected by the ending of the marriage. Even if both parties have easily solved the custodial agreements, there can often be a much more difficult battle over child support. The Family Law Attorneys at Andersen, Tate & Carr specialize in generating results without placing added pressure on the family. Here are six things you need to know about Georgia Child Support:
Income
Assessing income isn’t as simple as looking at a few pay stubs, or citing gross annual salaries. The courts consider all income taken in by both parties, including bonuses, tips, overtime, and commissions. Certain rules also apply for people who are self-employed. There are also some types of income like SSI, Medicaid benefits, or child support from a previous relationship that would be excluded from the calculation.
Calculating Costs
Determining the incomes of both parents is only part of the solution in factoring how much child support is needed. The courts use tables to calculate how much of that income should be spent on the child(ren) each month. The court will order child support that is proportional to the pay ratio between the two parents.
Other Child Support
Some parents have existing child support cases outside of the current court case. For parents who already pay child support based on a prior court order, the courts may subtract that total from the parent’s income in determining child support pertaining to this case. The court may also lower income for parents who have custodial custody of a child(ren) not directly related to this case, considering the costs of caring for the child(ren).
Health Coverage and Child Care
Some families have financial obligations for health insurance, medical expenses and/or child care needs. These expenses may not be an even split between the parties. The courts will also consider the income levels of both parents and allocate the costs accordingly.
Custodial vs. Non-Custodial
The parent who retains custodial rights of the children is the one receiving the child support payment. The money is to be used to cover expenses for the children, including housing and food.. The non-custodial parent must make monthly payments to support the children either directly to the other parent, through the child support registry, or by having their wages automatically deducted from their paycheck.
Additional Expenses
As other expenses occur and income levels change, child support needs can change. Through a petition for modification, the court can make adjustments to the child support order. There are many minor nuances that can have a major impact on your finances and the well being of the children involved.
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The Family Law Attorneys at Andersen, Tate & Carr are among the most experienced, recognized, and respected attorneys in Gwinnett County and throughout the Metro Atlanta area.
At Andersen, Tate & Carr, our attorneys are dedicated to reaching the best possible outcome for our clients. Our criminal defense attorneys, Patrick McDonough and Trinity Hundredmark, have combined experience of more than 30 years representing clients facing criminal charges in Georgia. For more information, or to request a case evaluation, contact our law office at 1-770-822-0900.