You’re getting divorced, and you’re overwhelmed with emotions. One of your biggest worries is your children. Where will they live, and with who? How often will you see them? And what about child support payments?
Child support is a long-term proposition after a divorce, and it’s understandable if you’re worried about it. Our Atlanta child support lawyers can help you set up child support as part of your divorce. Or, if you were not married to your child’s other parent, our team can assist you with finding the other parent and establishing child support.
The revised child support guidelines for Georgia took effect in 2007. In this state, the child’s parent or caretaker may be entitled to child support from the other parent.
How much child support? Georgia takes the income sharing approach, meaning the child support you must pay is according to both parents’ incomes, minus deductions.
The family court judge will add up the parents’ gross annual income. Next, the judge will use a child support calculator that reflects the state’s child support guidelines.
Gross income may include:
The guidelines and calculator are the central factors in determining a parent’s child support payment. However, the court can increase or decrease the amount.
Factors the court might include the following:
Having your Atlanta child support lawyer review these and other factors is essential. That way, it will be possible for a fair and equitable child support plan to be created.
Remember, if you don’t retain an experienced child support lawyer, you can wind up with a child support plan that doesn’t work for you.
Usually, parents who were married deal with child support during their divorce. If you weren’t married, your Atlanta child support attorney could assist with your complex child support issues.
What if you must pay child support but lose your job? Changes in life circumstances can cause child support payments to decrease or stop. However, you must return to court and ask the judge to change or discontinue the payments.
If you decide to take action and stop payments on your own, the court can hold you in contempt. Then, you face enforcement actions, including fines, wage garnishment, and possible jail time.
Disagreements over child support can be one of the most stressful parts of a divorce. However, our Atlanta child support lawyers understand what you’re experiencing and sympathize.
Our attorneys will work tirelessly to create a fair child support plan that provides for the children. But, at the same time, the plan will be fair to both parents. For more information about your Georgia child support case. You can complete our online contact form, and we’ll contact you immediately.
Each case is different, but we can share what clients typically struggle with when they make their initial calls to us:
The financial aspect of family law matters can be terrifying because it has been historically known as a black hole of billing with retainers and hourly charges for things like emails and texts. Peel back further uncertainty by Estimating Your Legal Fees.
While other firms might tell you “there is no way to predict the total cost of a divorce,” we can tell you with certainty that those smoke and mirrors will not be a part of your care at Edwards Family Law. We provide value with a high degree of peace of mind through conscientious costs for our care. Learn more about our Flat Fee Family Law Services.
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State law requires you to pay support for each child until they turn 18, emancipate, or graduate from high school. Also, child support payments end if the child enters the military, gets married, or passes away.
Child support can be modified if there is a significant change in the finances of one or both parents. It also can be changed if the child’s needs have changed.
The judge can hold the parent in contempt. Your Atlanta child support lawyer can file the petition in court and speak on your behalf at the contempt hearing.
If the contempt action is enforced, the parent can be threatened with incarceration, which is usually a strong motivator for the party to pay child support. Garnishing wages and seizing assets are also possible.
Not paying child support is usually a misdemeanor. However, back child support is a felony in this state on the third offense or if you leave Georgia. You can receive one to three years in jail if arrested for the crime.
Being a father is a great responsibility, and regarding your legal rights, the state of Georgia has...
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