Georgia Child Support Calculation Guide

Georgia uses an income-shares model for child support, codified in O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15. The framework combines both parents' incomes to estimate child-rearing costs, then allocates those costs by each parent's pro-rata share. Whether you're navigating an uncontested or contested divorce, understanding these calculations is essential.

The Income-Shares Model

Georgia's approach estimates what intact-household parents at the same combined income typically spend on their children:

• Step 1: Calculate each parent's monthly gross income (Schedule A)
• Step 2: Apply adjustments for self-employment taxes, preexisting orders, and other qualified children (Schedule B)
• Step 3: Combine adjusted incomes to get Combined Adjusted Gross Income (CAGI)
• Step 4: Find the Basic Child Support Obligation (BCSO) from the table
• Step 5: Allocate by each parent's pro-rata share of combined income

Calculating Gross Income

Georgia's definition of gross income is comprehensive:

• Included: Wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, overtime, severance, pensions, interest, dividends, trust income, capital gains
• Excluded: Child support received for other children, means-tested benefits (TANF, SNAP, SSI), foster care payments
• Self-employment: Gross receipts minus ordinary and reasonable business expenses
• SSA/VA benefits: If a child receives benefits based on the noncustodial parent's account, those are credited toward support

The $40,000 Monthly Income Cap

The BCSO table (updated July 1, 2024 via SB 454) covers combined adjusted gross income from $800 to $40,000 per month, for one to six children.

• Above $40,000: Courts use the maximum table amount and consider an upward high-income deviation
• Example at $10,000 CAGI: 1 child = $1,285; 2 children = $1,906; 3 children = $2,242
• At $40,000 cap: 1 child = $3,222; 2 children = $4,736; 3 children = $5,522

Estimate Your Georgia Child Support

Use our calculator for a preliminary estimate. For official calculations, use the Georgia Child Support Calculator.

Parenting Time Adjustments (Major 2026 Change)

Georgia's parenting time rules are changing significantly:

• Through December 31, 2025: Parenting time is a discretionary deviation that judges may but need not apply, requiring written findings
• Starting January 1, 2026: A mandatory Schedule C formula applies whenever parenting time is court-ordered
• The 2026 formula: Uses a days^2.5 calculation to adjust support based on each parent's court-ordered parenting days
• Equal time (50/50): Under the 2026 formula, equal incomes and equal days typically result in near-zero or zero transfer

Low-Income Rules

Georgia protects low-income obligors with special provisions:

• Through 2025 (deviation): Minimum $100/month for one child, plus $50 per additional child, when the low-income deviation is granted
• Starting 2026 (adjustment table): A mandatory Low-Income Adjustment Table applies; for incomes at or below $1,500/month, percentage rates apply (e.g., 19% for one child)

Add-On Expenses (Schedule D)

Certain expenses are added to the BCSO and prorated between parents:

• Child care: Work-related costs averaged over the next 12 months
• Health insurance: Child's premium prorated; if family coverage, divide by covered persons and multiply by covered children
• Uninsured healthcare: Not in presumptive support; assigned pro-rata in the order
• Extraordinary expenses: Educational, medical, or special child-rearing costs above 7% of BCSO may be handled as deviations

Modification Rules

Georgia allows modification when:

• Substantial change in either parent's income/financial status or the child's needs
• Two-year bar: Generally cannot file successive modification petitions within 24 months, with exceptions
• 25% involuntary loss rule: If a parent suffers an involuntary income loss of 25% or more, the portion attributable to lost income stops accruing from the service date

Duration of Support

Support continues until the child:

• Turns 18, or
• Graduates high school (but not beyond age 20), or
• Dies, marries, or is emancipated
• Dependent adult child: A separate cause of action (new July 1, 2024) exists under §§ 19-6-15.1 and 19-6-15.2 for adults unable to self-support due to incapacity

Enforcement and Arrears

Georgia's enforcement tools include:

• Income withholding: Mandatory in most cases; subject to federal CCPA limits (50-65%)
• Tax intercepts: Federal offset at $150+ TANF/$500+ non-TANF arrears; state offset at $500+
• License suspension: Driver's, professional, hunting/fishing licenses
• Passport denial: At $2,500+ arrears
• Liens/levies: Bank accounts, property, workers' comp, lottery intercepts
• Contempt: Potential jail for willful nonpayment

Interest on arrears is 7% simple annually, starting 30 days after the due date. Courts have discretion to apply or waive past-due interest.

Key Takeaways

• Income-shares model: Both parents' incomes determine the child's needs
• $40,000 cap: Monthly combined income cap (effective July 1, 2024)
• 2026 parenting time formula: Mandatory Schedule C replaces discretionary deviation
• Low-income adjustment: New mandatory table starting January 1, 2026
• $100 minimum: Plus $50 per additional child (through 2025 with deviation)
• 7% interest: Simple, on arrears after 30-day grace
• Two-year bar: On successive modification petitions

For more information about Georgia divorce processes, see our Georgia divorce timeline and filing checklist.