Child Support
Atlanta Child Support Lawyer
Compassionate Legal Support for Children and Families
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.
Child Support Laws in Georgia
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 wages you earn at work
- Commission you make from a second job
- Pensions
- Self-employment income
- Income from disability and retirement accounts
- Income from investments
- Perks from your job (like a company car or paid cell phone account)
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:
- If the parents have a combined income of $30,000 per month or higher
- Low income of $1,850 or less per month of the non-custodial parent
- Life insurance on one parent that lists the child as a beneficiary
- Alimony
- Mortgage expenses
- High expenses, including costs for education or medical conditions
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.
Petitioning for Child Support in Georgia
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.
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