Woodstock Child Support Lawyer
When you and your co-parent live separately, one of you usually must pay child support. The amount is determined by a formula, and it can get complicated.
A Woodstock child support lawyer at the Atlanta Divorce Law Group can walk you through the calculations. Our family law team has extensive experience with all aspects of child support.
Is Child Support Always Necessary?
Child support is almost always granted when parents divorce or separate, even if the custodial parent does not want it. Financial support is a child’s right, and a parent cannot waive it.
The law strives to ensure a child has a similar standard of living whether the parents are together or apart. In almost every case, that means the non-custodial parent will pay support to the custodial parent. If the parents have roughly equal earnings and share time with the children equally, there may be no child support payment, but that is unusual.
Child support is usually paid until a child is 18, but the obligation can be extended up to age 20 if the child has not yet graduated from high school. Parents can agree that they will contribute to a child’s post-secondary education, but that is voluntary. Our Woodstock family law attorneys can help a parent negotiate a support agreement that addresses their child’s education expenses after high school.
Calculating the Support Amount
Determining the child support amount is a multi-step process, and you may need help from your Woodstock attorney to ensure your calculations are accurate. You should create an account with the Georgia Child Support Commission and use its online worksheet. You must include the completed worksheet in your parenting plan so the family court judge can review it.
Each parent must determine their gross income, adjusted for self-employment taxes, pre-existing child support obligations, and some other factors. You add your adjusted gross incomes together to determine your combined gross income. Plug that number and the number of children you share into the Child Support Guidelines to find the total amount a couple with your income is expected to spend on their children.
You figure each parent’s obligation by calculating how much each parent contributes toward your combined adjusted gross income. A parent who contributes 60 percent of the combined adjusted gross income would pay 60 percent of the child support amount. However, there are numerous adjustments that can impact the final amount.
Establishing the Final Support Amount
The child support worksheet produces the minimum amount of child support. It reflects the cost of the child’s food, housing, clothing, transportation, and education. Many couples choose a higher support amount to provide the children with extras such as music lessons, summer camp, or travel.
You can negotiate a higher child support payment and include it in the parenting plan. Family court judges typically approve plans that provide for more generous support than the law requires.
The worksheet includes mandatory adjustments for parents with low incomes. However, if paying the adjusted amount would still cause a parent financial hardship. Georgia courts can allow a lower payment. Speak with a Woodstock attorney about requesting a lower child support payment for reasons of financial hardship.
Get Help With Child Support Issues From a Woodstock Attorney
The child support calculation has a lot of variables, and it can get confusing. It is best to work with a Woodstock child support lawyer to ensure your calculations are correct.
The experienced professionals at the Atlanta Divorce Law Group provide capable assistance with a range of family law matters. Reach out to a member of our intake team today to find out how we can help you.
