Child Support
A Word from Scott Shaw: Child Support, Attorney’s Fees, and Modification
There have been some big changes in the Georgia child support laws. The state completely re-wrote laws that removed use of a percentage of income and created an income-share system. Child support owed is now calculated from the income of both parents, not just the parent paying child support. Overall, it’s created a more fair system…
Read MoreA Word from Scott Shaw: Do I have to Pay Child Support if I Voluntarily Pay for My Child’s Expenses?
Child support on its face is simple: A court orders a child support amount to be paid monthly, and you pay it. However, as with most things in the law it is not always that simple. As an example, what happens if you directly pay expenses for your child and deduct the amount for those expenses directly from…
Read MoreCan You Be Required to Pay More in Child Support if You Make a Lot of Money?
Divorce is complicated. It can be made even more complicated when considerations for child support are on the table. Divorce and child support are deeply tied to income, so what happens if you make significantly more than average or more than your spouse? Can you be responsible for paying additional money per month based exclusively…
Read MoreWhen Does My Child Support Obligation End in the State of Georgia?
Most child support orders specify that child support shall continue until the age of 18, unless the child has not graduated from high school; in that case it would continue until the child graduates but not past the child’s 20th birthday. Simple enough, right? Not really. The State of Georgia has a very specific statutory…
Read MoreWhat Are Some Factors That May Be a Deviation From a Child Support Order?
Georgia’s child support guidelines provide for deviations from a party’s basic child support obligation, some of which may be ordered by the court, and others which may be agreed upon by the parties. The court will not order any deviation from the child support obligation unless it determines that the deviation would be in the…
Read MoreHow is Child Support Calculated When Each Parent Has Custody of One Child?
Georgia’s child support laws set forth uniform guidelines for calculating a parent’s basic child support obligation, as well as any deviations from that amount, both mandatory and non-mandatory. These guidelines assume that one parent has primary custody of the parties’ child or children in making the child support calculation. However, this calculation may not be…
Read MoreHow Long Do I Have to Pay Child Support in the State of Georgia?
A parent who pays child support has the duty to support his or her child until the child becomes emancipated for child support purposes under Georgia law. There are a number of different ways that a child may be emancipated for child support purposes under Georgia law. First, the most typical form of emancipation occurs…
Read MoreMy Ex is Filing for Bankruptcy. Will He or She Get Out of Paying Me Child Support and Alimony?
The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA) changed the law with respect to the discharge of domestic support obligations in bankruptcy proceedings. Prior to this law being enacted, individuals often were able to avoid paying obligations that they had agreed to or been ordered to take on in a divorce simply…
Read MoreMy Wife Had a Child With Another Man While We Were Still Married. Am I Financially Responsible for that Child?
If a child is born during marriage, it is presumed that the husband is the biological father of the child. Most of the time, this is the case. But what happens when the child is actually another man’s biological child? This situation arises more often than you might think. A wife may have an affair…
Read MoreWho Pays for Our Child’s College Expenses After a Divorce?
In some states, a court may order parents may be responsible for all or a portion of their children’s college expenses, even after their obligation to pay child support has ended and their children are over the age of 18. In states in which it is possible to order college expenses, however, the court typically…
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