Georgia Child Support Estimator

Based on O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15 (Income Shares Model)

Parent 1 (Custodial)

Parent 2 (Non-Custodial)

Children & Schedule D Expenses

Official Georgia Resources

How Georgia Calculates Support

Georgia uses the Income Shares Model (defined in O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15). The philosophy is that the child should receive the same proportion of parental income that they would have received if the parents lived together.

The 4-Step Process:

  1. Determine Income: Calculate "Gross Income" for both parents and subtract allowed adjustments (like self-employment taxes) to get "Adjusted Income".
  2. Find Basic Obligation: Combine both incomes and look up the total "Basic Child Support Obligation" (BCSO) in the statutory table.
  3. Prorate: Split the BCSO between parents based on their percentage share of the combined income.
  4. Add Expenses: Add costs for health insurance and work-related child care, crediting the parent who actually pays them.

Parenting Time Deviations (Shared Custody)

Unlike other states that have an automatic formula for 50/50 custody, Georgia requires a specific Deviation.

Schedule E Deviation

If the non-custodial parent spends significant time with the child (e.g., nearly 50%), they must request a "Parenting Time Deviation" on Schedule E of the official worksheet. This is discretionary—meaning a judge or jury decides if the reduction is in the "best interest of the child." It is not guaranteed by math alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as Gross Income in Georgia?

Gross income includes salary, wages, commissions, self-employment income, bonuses, overtime, severance pay, pension/retirement income, interest, dividends, trust income, capital gains, disability benefits, workers' comp, and unemployment benefits.

Does remarriage affect child support?

Generally, no. A new spouse's income is not included in the parent's gross income for calculating child support. However, it might be relevant if a parent claims they cannot pay support due to their own household expenses, but the new spouse is covering them.