Child Support

Augusta GA Child Support Lawyer

There are many factors involved when you endeavor to obtain a Georgia divorce, and beyond the issues that exist between the couple and the division of their liabilities and assets, there are matters that involve the couple's child or children. In many cases, an agreement can be reached privately without asking the courts to decide things like child support and custody. When you enter into these types of negotiations, it is always best to retain the services of a seasoned Georgia divorce lawyer. You certainly want to do your part to make sure that your child or children are properly cared for, but you also need to make sure that your own interests are being protected. Your divorce attorney is well equipped to do that.

If you do need the courts to decide the amount of child support that must be paid, you definitely don't want to go it alone. GA divorce lawyers have a great deal of experience navigating through the system, and they understand Georgia divorce laws thoroughly. Many people do not realize that the Georgia child supports laws were changed at the beginning of 2007. The new system proceeds with the understanding that upon divorce, both parents of dependent children are responsible for sharing the financial responsibility of child support. The amount that each is responsible for is determined by an "income shares" ratio. For example, if the father earned $5,000 per month, and the mother earned $2,500, the husband had been bringing home two-thirds of the household income. So if the courts assessed the total amount of money needed to support the two children at $1,500 per month, and the mother had custody, the father would be required to pay two-thirds of that $1,500 ($1,000) each month for child support.

We all would expect couples who are going through a divorce to try to be fair and be forthcoming in matters of child support, but there are often disagreements concerning true gross income and other disputed facts that are relevant to the situation. Georgia divorce lawyers understand the letter of the law, and when you are engaged in a matter that heavily impacts the health and well being of your children, you need to be sure that you have proper representation to ensure an equitable outcome that makes sense for both you and the children.