Atlanta Child Support Attorney
Dedicated Child Support Lawyers Serving Clients in Atlanta, Georgia
In Georgia, child support is the right of the child and both parents have a duty of support. Nevertheless, one of the most contested matters in family law cases is resolving the amount of support, if any, to be paid from one parent to the other, and a expert Atlanta child support attorney as an advocate by your side could help your situation in the long run.
Georgia has child support guidelines and calculators which help in determining what the appropriate amount of support should be. The child support calculator is based on predetermined tables, but there are many variables and deviations which can lower or increase the amount of support.
The relevant (and lengthy) statute on child support is O.C.G.A §19-6-15.and the Georgia Child Support Commission has calculators available, but as mentioned, there are many factors and variables which can potentially dramatically impact the amount of child support the calculators indicate.
In Atlanta, child support is calculated considering:
- Each parents’ income
- Any other non-joint children
- Other financial obligations
- The way the parents share physical custody
- The number of children
- The costs of child care and any additional costs
- Cost of health insurance
These calculations are meant to be just and appropriate for establishing child support obligations and to make sure they are fair to both parties. However, although these calculations are made to be simple and straightforward, the support amount or the way child support is divided may not be reasonable in some circumstances.
Child Support Calculation Exceptions
There may be some exceptions to the child support calculations when:
- A parent has other available resources
- A parent has a financial hardship
- A parent is unemployed
- A parent must stay at home with the child
- The child has moved away
- The child’s needs have changed or special needs exist
- Additional financial costs to support a child attending school
- Other financial setbacks or advantages
Before the child support order is finalized, parents may request that these costs be considered in a deviation of the calculations. Parents may also request a child support modification to accommodate these instances after a support order has already been implemented.
The worksheets and calculators can appear intimidating to those who do not work with them every day like our attorneys do. Our Atlanta child support attorneys are very familiar with the child support calculators and their nuances, and have even lectured to other attorneys on how to properly use them.
How Long Does Child Support Last?
Child support continues until each child reaches the age of 18 or up until the age of 21 if a child is enrolled at least part-time in college or another educational/training program. It is important to note that child support applies to couples who are unmarried as well as married. However, paternity must be established before child support can be ordered.
Our Atlanta Child Support Lawyer Is Here To Help – Call Today
If you have a child support question, whether it be regarding the proper amount to be paid, an arrearage that has accrued, or modifying a current child support order, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We also often represent clients seeking to modify (whether it be an increase or decrease) the child support order in place, and frequently represent professional athletes, their spouses, or the child’s mothers with respect to these issues. After all, many professional athletes will sign a very large contract (so what is the correct child support in such a situation?) earning significant amounts of money (if not millions of dollars) but then what happens when they no longer are earning what they earned at the height of their career? We can help with that situation and the law provides an answer.