When you are involved in a child support case in Georgia, the court generally uses the Income Shares Model. This approach focuses on the idea that a child benefits from both parents’ income, similar to what the child may have received if both parents lived together. Under Georgia law, the calculation follows a structured process that reviews income, parenting time and certain added expenses.
How does the court evaluate your income?
The process usually begins with a review of both parents’ gross income. Georgia law considers a broad range of income sources so the court can develop a fuller picture of financial resources.
Your income may include:
- Standard earnings such as wages, salary, hourly pay and tips
- Variable pay like commissions, bonuses and overtime when they occur regularly
- Self-employment income, typically calculated after ordinary business expenses
- Other income sources such as unemployment benefits, disability payments, rental income and investment earnings
These categories help the court estimate your overall ability to contribute to your child’s financial needs.
In some situations, the court may also assign income if it believes a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. This step allows the court to estimate earning capacity instead of relying only on current reported income.
How does parenting time affect the calculation?
Georgia law also takes into account how much time each parent spends with the child. Recent updates require courts to include a parenting time adjustment as part of the calculation process.
Generally, more overnights with the child may affect the support amount because it shifts certain daily expenses between households. The formula considers costs such as food, housing and daily care while the child is in each parent’s home. As a result, the final calculation may shift depending on the parenting schedule presented to the court.
How do additional expenses factor into support?
After the court determines the basic support amount, it often considers additional child related expenses. Parents commonly share these costs based on their income levels.
Common additional expenses may include:
- Health insurance costs for medical, dental or vision coverage
- Childcare expenses tied to work or job training
- Education and medical costs beyond basic needs, such as private school tuition or ongoing treatment for chronic health conditions
These adjustments help the court account for the child’s specific needs and day to day realities in each household.
The overall calculation process
Georgia’s Income Shares Model combines income, parenting time and certain child related expenses into one structured calculation. Because each family situation involves different income levels, parenting schedules and expense patterns, the final child support amount may vary based on the details presented to the court and how the guideline formula applies in each case.