Child support in Georgia is crucial to co-parenting arrangements, especially when joint custody is involved. Many parents often wonder about their financial responsibilities when they share custody of their children.
Do they still have to pay child support even if they share joint custody? The answer is yes. Child support is determined based on the income of both parents and the custody arrangement, so it is possible for a parent with joint custody to still have a child support obligation, especially if they make substantially more money than the other parent.
What is Child Support?
Child support is a financial obligation in Georgia designed to guarantee that both parents contribute to the financial well-being of their child or children. Child support helps pay for various essential expenses, including housing, clothing, food, and healthcare. It aims to provide the child with a stable and secure environment, regardless of the parents’ relationship status.
The Georgia Child Support Calculation Formula
Georgia uses a standardized formula to calculate child support payments. This ensures consistency and fairness in the financial contributions made by each parent. This formula considers several key factors which play a significant role in determining the final child support amount.
Income of Both Parents
The income of both parents plays a significant role in determining child support. The court assesses each parent’s gross income, which includes not only their salary but also other sources of income such as bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, and even certain benefits like Social Security or workers’ compensation.
Including both parents’ incomes ensures that the child’s financial support is based on the collective resources of both households. This approach seeks to maintain a standard of living for the child that is as close as possible to what they would have experienced if the parents were living together.
Number of Children Involved
Another critical factor is the number of children the couple has together. Naturally, supporting multiple children entails higher expenses and, naturally, more child support. The more children there are the greater the financial responsibility of the parents.
Specific Custody Arrangement
One of the most significant factors affecting child support calculations is the specific custody arrangement. While you may have joint custody, it’s essential to understand that there are two key types:
- Joint Legal Custody: In cases of joint legal custody, both parents share decision-making authority over important aspects of the child’s life, such as education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that physical custody is evenly split.
- Joint Physical Custody: Joint physical custody implies that the child spends a substantial amount of time living with both parents. This arrangement ensures the child has a balanced and nurturing environment in both households.
Why One Parent Might Still Pay Support in Joint Custody
Many parents erroneously believe that joint custody automatically absolves them from making child support payments. While joint custody reflects shared responsibilities for the child’s upbringing and care, it doesn’t necessarily mean that both parents are on equal financial footing.
If there is a significant disparity in income between the parents, the higher-earning parent may still be required to make child support payments. The court’s objective is to ensure that the child’s financial needs are met, which includes providing the child with the same standard of living they would have enjoyed had the parents lived together.
So, even with joint custody, the parent with a higher income may still have an obligation to contribute financially to the child’s upbringing. This maintains fairness and equity in the child support system, safeguarding the child’s best interests above all else.
What Happens If I Don’t Pay Child Support?
Failure to meet child support obligations in Georgia carries serious legal consequences. The state takes child support enforcement seriously to ensure children receive the financial support they need to thrive.
Non-payment of child support can lead to substantial fines and penalties, wage garnishment, suspension of driver’s licenses, and even criminal charges. Child support arrears in Georgia typically accrue interest. This means that if you owe child support and do not pay it on time, you will not only owe the original amount but also additional interest on the outstanding balance.
Reach Out to Our Atlanta Child Support Attorneys
The experienced Atlanta child support lawyers at Hobson & Hobson, P.C. are here to help you navigate child support issues during and after a divorce. Whether you are seeking to modify an existing child support order or you need help determining how much support to pay, we can offer sound legal guidance and support.
Contact us today at (770) 284-6153 or conveniently fill out our confidential contact form. By doing so, you can schedule a consultation to explore all of your legal options.
At Hobson & Hobson, P.C., our child support lawyers are committed to fighting aggressively at every step of the legal process to protect what you value most. During a divorce, we can help you calculate child support and even modify existing child support orders if necessary.
Attorney Sarah Hobson at Hobson and Hobson, P.C. are powerful advocates for those who fight for better futures for those going through divorce and custody law matters.