Child Support in Georgia
Georgia uses the income shares model (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15): both parents' incomes are combined, a basic support obligation is read from the statutory schedule, and it's divided between the parents in proportion to income. The Georgia Child Support Commission publishes an official online calculator. Specific schedule amounts and adjustments change with amendments — confirm the current statute.
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
This is general information, not legal advice, and Georgia’s child-support rules are detailed and periodically amended — use the official calculator and confirm the current statute. Talk to a Georgia attorney.
Georgia calculates child support with a formula designed to share the cost of raising a child between both parents.
The income shares model
Under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15, Georgia uses the income shares model. In plain terms:
- Combine both parents’ gross incomes;
- Read the basic child support obligation from the statewide schedule, based on the combined income and the number of children; and
- Divide that obligation between the parents in proportion to each parent’s income.
The parent who doesn’t have primary physical custody typically pays their share to the other.
The official calculator
The Georgia Child Support Commission publishes an official online calculator and worksheets that courts rely on. Because the schedule amounts and the rules for adjustments are updated from time to time, you should use the current official calculator rather than older figures, and confirm the current statute.
Adjustments and deviations
The guideline amount can be adjusted for things like health-insurance and child-care costs, and the court can deviate from the presumptive amount in defined circumstances. The treatment of parenting time in the formula has been changing in recent legislation, so confirm how the current statute and worksheet handle it before relying on a number.
For how custody itself is decided, see child custody. To get matched with a local Georgia attorney, connect with a lawyer.
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Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Georgia?
- Georgia uses the income shares model (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15). Both parents' gross incomes are combined, a basic obligation is taken from the statewide schedule based on combined income and the number of children, and that amount is split between the parents in proportion to their incomes.
- Is there an official Georgia child support calculator?
- Yes. The Georgia Child Support Commission publishes an official online calculator and worksheets that courts use. Because the schedule and adjustment rules are updated periodically, use the current official calculator and confirm the current statute.
- Does parenting time affect the amount?
- It can. Georgia's guidelines allow adjustments based on the circumstances of the case, and the rules around parenting-time adjustments have been changing — confirm how the current statute and worksheet treat your situation.
Sources
Related guides
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