Georgia Child Support Calculator

Georgia uses the income shares model under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15, combining both parents' adjusted gross incomes and matching the total to the Basic Child Support Obligation Table. The table covers combined monthly incomes from $800 to $40,000 and provides base amounts for one to six children. Each parent pays a pro rata share proportional to their percentage of combined income, with adjustments for health insurance, childcare, and extraordinary expenses.

Georgia child support considers all sources of gross income, including wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, overtime, self-employment earnings, pensions, dividends, and rental income. Adjusted income is calculated by deducting one-half of self-employment taxes and any preexisting child support obligations from other cases. Courts may impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed based on their earning capacity and work history.

As of January 1, 2026, Georgia applies a mandatory parenting time adjustment under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(g) that directly factors each parent's court-ordered days into the calculation. The formula raises each parent's number of days to the power of 2.5 to determine a dollar-value adjustment. This replaced the previous discretionary parenting time deviation, making the impact of custody time on support amounts more predictable and mathematically defined.

Either parent in Georgia may petition to modify child support once every 24 months under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15. A modification requires showing a material change in circumstances, such as a significant income change, job loss, or change in custody arrangement. An involuntary income loss of 25% or more can prevent arrears from accruing from the date the modification petition is served on the other parent.

Beyond the basic obligation from the table, Georgia child support calculations include health insurance premiums for the children, work-related childcare costs, and each parent's share of uninsured medical expenses. Courts may also factor in extraordinary educational expenses, special medical needs, and travel costs for visitation. These additional expenses are split between parents using the same pro rata percentages applied to the basic obligation.

Georgia's Basic Child Support Obligation Table starts at a combined adjusted income of $800 per month and caps at $40,000 per month ($480,000 annually). Parents with combined income below $800 receive individualized orders. For high-income parents exceeding the $40,000 cap, courts set the base at the table maximum and may apply an upward deviation to ensure support is proportional to income. A low-income adjustment may apply when the noncustodial parent earns at or below $1,850 per month.

Georgia child support continues until the child reaches age 18, which is the state's age of majority under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(e). Support may extend to age 20 if the child is still enrolled in and attending secondary school and has not previously married or become emancipated. Support also terminates upon the child's death, marriage, or emancipation, whichever occurs first.

Georgia enforces child support through multiple mechanisms under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-28 and related statutes. Courts may hold non-paying parents in contempt, with hearings required within 30 days of service. The state can initiate income withholding and wage garnishment under §§ 19-6-30 through 19-6-33, suspend professional and driver's licenses under § 19-6-28.1, and certify arrears exceeding $2,500 to federal enforcement agencies.