Georgia child support: the guideline from start to finish (2026)
Georgia uses an income shares guideline, O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15. Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added, the Basic Child Support Obligation Table gives the amount for that income and number of children, and each parent's share is split by income. Since 1 January 2026, every day of court-ordered parenting time adjusts the other parent's share by formula, child care and health insurance are added, and a low-income table caps the amount for a paying parent on a low income.
How is child support calculated in Georgia?
O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(b) sets the order of the worksheet:
- Income. Each parent’s monthly gross income from all sources, less half of self-employment tax and support already paid under other orders.
- Income shares. The two incomes are added and each parent’s share worked out.
- The table. The Basic Child Support Obligation Table gives the amount for the combined income and the number of children, from the row closest to the income (§ 19-6-15(b)(4)).
- Parenting time. Since 1 January 2026, each parent’s share is adjusted for court-ordered parenting time by formula (§ 19-6-15(g)).
- Child care and health insurance. They are added and shared by income, with each parent credited for what they pay (§ 19-6-15(h)).
- Low income. A paying parent whose own income is below the low-income table’s limit pays the lesser of the guideline amount and the table amount (§ 19-6-15(i.1)).
Two children, 80 court-ordered days, with child care
In Georgia: 2 children; the parent the children live with earns $4,000 a month and the other parent $6,000, before tax; 80 days a year with the other parent; child care of $400 a month, paid by the parent the children live with.
Add the two incomesO.C.G.A. § 19-6-15 as in force on 1 January 2026 (Georgia Child Support Commission copy, archived)
$4,000 + $6,000 = $10,000 a month. The other parent's share is $6,000 ÷ $10,000 = 60%.
60%Look up the schedule§ 19-6-15(b)(4) and (o), basic child support obligation table
The schedule's amount for $10,000 of combined income and 2 children.
$1,906.00Adjust for parenting time§ 19-6-15(g), parenting time adjustment
The other parent's share is $1,143.60 and the share of the parent the children live with $762.40. With 80 court-ordered days with the other parent and 285 with the parent the children live with: (285^2.5 × $1,143.60 − 80^2.5 × $762.40) ÷ (80^2.5 + 285^2.5) = $1,067.22.
$1,067.22Add child care and health insurance§ 19-6-15(h), child care and health insurance
60% of (child care $400) = $240.00. $1,067.22 + $240.00 = $1,307.22, paid by the other parent.
$1,307.22 a month
What is the Georgia child support worksheet and its schedules?
The worksheet follows the steps above, with schedules for the parts that need detail (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(b)):
| Schedule | What goes on it |
|---|---|
| Schedule A, Gross Income | Each parent’s income from all sources |
| Schedule B, Adjusted Income | Half of self-employment tax, support paid under other orders, and the credit for other children |
| Schedule C, Parenting Time Adjustment | The parenting time formula, from 1 January 2026 |
| Schedule D, Additional Expenses | Child care and the children’s health insurance |
| Schedule E, Deviations | Any departure from the guideline, with the findings it needs |
The calculator follows the same order, without Schedules B and E.
How much is child support in Georgia by income?
With the parent the children live with earning $4,000 a month and no court-ordered parenting time:
| Other parent's income a month | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $336.30 | $507.62 | $576.00 |
| $4,000 | $575.00 | $861.50 | $1,025.00 |
| $6,000 | $771.00 | $1,143.60 | $1,345.20 |
| $8,000 | $976.72 | $1,450.74 | $1,710.75 |
| $12,000 | $1,297.50 | $1,899.00 | $2,203.50 |
| $20,000 | $1,902.42 | $2,804.05 | $3,278.20 |
Child support by income in Georgia has more incomes, and more than one child the effect of each extra child.
How does parenting time change child support in Georgia?
Since 1 January 2026, every day of court-ordered parenting time counts. The formula weighs each parent’s share of the table amount by the days each has, raised to the power 2.5, so the adjustment grows slowly at first and faster near equal time. With equal time and equal incomes the amount is zero, and when the parent the children live with earns more, that parent can end up paying. See parenting time and 50/50 custody.
| Days a year with the other parent | Formula | Support a month | Paid by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 days | Parenting time formula | $1,383.60 | the other parent |
| 60 days | Parenting time formula | $1,351.44 | the other parent |
| 100 days | Parenting time formula | $1,230.28 | the other parent |
| 146 days | Parenting time formula | $876.10 | the other parent |
| 182 days | Parenting time formula | $437.13 | the other parent |
How do health insurance and child care change the amount?
The children’s share of the health insurance premium and work related child care are added and divided by income, and the parent who pays each one is credited (§ 19-6-15(h)). See health insurance and child care.
Is there a minimum or maximum in Georgia?
There is no flat minimum. Since 1 January 2026, a parent on a low income pays no more than the low-income table allows (low incomes). Above $40,000 of combined monthly income the top row of the table applies, and a court may deviate upward (high incomes).
How long does child support last in Georgia?
Until the child turns 18, marries, becomes emancipated or dies. A court may order support for a child still in high school after 18, up to age 20 (§ 19-6-15(e)). See how long child support lasts.
How is a Georgia child support order changed?
A petition to modify needs a substantial change in either parent’s income and financial status or in the child’s needs, and a parent cannot file again within two years of a final order on their own previous petition, except in three situations (§ 19-6-15(k)). See changing an order.
What this guide does not cover
Enforcement, arrears and the Division of Child Support Services’ own services are not covered here. The engine also leaves out these parts of Georgia’s guideline:
- Not modeled: deductions from income for half of self-employment tax (§ 19-6-15(f)(5)(A)), child support already paid under other orders ((f)(5)(B)), and the discretionary credit for other children living with a parent ((f)(5)(C)).
- Not modeled: deviations (Schedule E), including high income, extraordinary education, medical and special expenses, travel and alimony; uninsured medical costs, which are shared outside the monthly amount ((h)(3)); Social Security and VA benefits paid to the children ((b)(10)); and split parenting ((l)).
The figures are estimates of the guideline amount, not legal advice. A court can order a different amount, and an existing order only changes when it is modified.
Orders over time
- How long child support lasts in Georgia (2026)Child support in Georgia lasts until the child reaches the age of majority, 18, or marries, becomes emancipated or dies, whichever comes first (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(e)). A court may order support for a child who has turned 18 but is still enrolled in and attending secondary school, and has not married or become emancipated, but not past the age of 20.
- Changing a child support order in Georgia (2026)A Georgia parent can petition to modify child support only when there is a substantial change in either parent's income and financial status or in the child's needs (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(k)(1)). A parent may not file another petition within two years of the final order on their own previous petition, unless the other parent did not use, or used more than, the court-ordered parenting time, or the petition is based on an involuntary loss of income (§ 19-6-15(k)(2)).
- Back child support (arrears) in Georgia: interest, enforcement and jail (2026)In Georgia, child support expressed in a money amount accrues interest at 7 percent a year, starting 30 days after each installment is due, without any need to turn it into a judgment first; the court can apply, reduce or waive past-due interest after weighing four factors (O.C.G.A. § 7-4-12.1). The Division of Child Support Services collects arrears through income withholding, liens and bank levies, state and federal tax refund intercepts, license suspension, credit reporting and passport denial, and a court can find a parent in contempt, with a fine or jail. Past-due support cannot be reduced retroactively, and Georgia child support judgments entered after 1 July 1997 do not go dormant.
Income
- Child support at high incomes in Georgia (2026)Georgia's table runs to $40,000 of combined monthly gross income, up from $30,000 before 1 July 2024. Above it, the court sets the basic obligation at the highest amount in the table, and the court or jury may deviate upward for high-income parents (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(i)(2)(A)). There is no percentage for the income above the table.
- Child support at low incomes in Georgia (2026): the low-income adjustmentSince 1 January 2026, a Georgia parent whose own adjusted income is below the low-income table's limit for the number of children pays the lesser of the guideline amount and the table amount (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(i.1)). At or below $1,500 a month the table is a percentage of that parent's income, 19% for one child; above it the table runs in rows. There is no flat minimum order.
- Self-employment and imputed income for child support in Georgia (2026)For a self-employed parent, Georgia counts gross receipts minus the ordinary and reasonable expenses needed to produce the income, leaving out excessive promotional, travel, vehicle or personal expenses, depreciation on equipment, home office costs and accelerated depreciation (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(f)(1)(B)). Half of self-employment tax is then deducted. A court can impute income when there is no reliable evidence of income, or when a parent is willfully or voluntarily unemployed or underemployed (§ 19-6-15(f)(4)).
- How much is child support in Georgia by income? (2026)In Georgia the amount depends on both parents' incomes, the number of children and court-ordered parenting time. With the parent the children live with earning $4,000 a month, no parenting time and no extra costs, a parent earning $6,000 pays $771.00 for one child and $1,143.60 for two.
Children and costs
- Child support for more than one child in Georgia (2026)Georgia's table gives one figure for all the children in the case, for 1 to 6 children, and each extra child adds less than the one before. With incomes of $4,000 and $6,000 and no parenting time, the other parent pays $771.00 for one child, $1,143.60 for two and $1,345.20 for three.
- Health insurance and child care in Georgia child support (2026)Georgia adds work related child care and the children's share of the health insurance premium to the guideline amount, divides them between the parents by income, and credits each parent with what they pay (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(h)). Child care is averaged to a monthly amount, only what parents actually pay counts, and uninsured medical costs are shared outside the monthly amount.
Custody and time
Run your own numbers
This guide's example: in Georgia, 2 children; the parent the children live with earns $4,000 a month and the other parent $6,000, before tax; 80 days a year with the other parent; child care of $400 a month, paid by the parent the children live with. The guideline amount is $1,307.22 a month. Change any number in the calculator and every step of the formula updates.
Open this family in the Georgia calculatorQuestions
How much is child support in Georgia for two kids?
It depends on both incomes and the parenting time. With $4,000 and $6,000 a month and no court-ordered parenting time, the guideline for two children is $1,143.60 a month, before child care and health insurance.
What is the new Georgia child support law for 2026?
From 1 January 2026, parenting time and low income stopped being discretionary deviations and became formulas: the parenting time adjustment for court-ordered days, and the low-income adjustment table (SB 454 of 2024). The table itself changed on 1 July 2024 and now runs to $40,000.
Does Georgia use gross or net income for child support?
Gross income, from all sources, for both parents (§ 19-6-15(f)). Half of self-employment tax and child support already paid under other orders are deducted.
When does child support end in Georgia?
At 18, the age of majority, or on marriage, emancipation or death. A court may order support for a child still in high school after 18, but not past 20 (§ 19-6-15(e)).
How is a Georgia child support order changed?
By a petition to modify, which needs a substantial change in either parent's income and financial status or in the child's needs. A parent may not file again within two years of a final order on their last petition, with some exceptions (§ 19-6-15(k)).
Sources
- O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15 as in force on 1 January 2026, Georgia Child Support Commission copy (archived)
- 2024 updates to the child support guidelines (archived)
- Basic Child Support Obligation Table effective 1 July 2024 (archived)
- Figures on this page are computed by the Coparent Math engine with Georgia's rules in force on 3 Nov 2026 unless a table says otherwise, from:
- O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15 as in force on 1 January 2026 (Georgia Child Support Commission copy, archived), checked 3 Nov 2026
- Georgia Basic Child Support Obligation Table effective 1 July 2024 (Georgia Child Support Commission, archived), checked 3 Nov 2026
- Georgia Child Support Commission: 2024 updates to the child support guidelines (archived), checked 3 Nov 2026
Related guides
Other hubs
- Alabama child support: the Rule 32 guideline from start to finish (2026)Alabama uses an income shares guideline, Rule 32 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration. Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added, the Rule 32 schedule gives the basic amount for that income and number of children, work related child care and the children's health insurance are added, and the other parent pays their income share of the total, less what they already pay. A self-support reserve protects a paying parent on a low income, and a court order for 50/50 custody uses a shared worksheet.
- Which state has higher child support? Texas, New York, Virginia, Florida, Georgia and Alabama (2026)No state is always higher: it depends on the family. Texas takes a percentage of the paying parent's net income, New York a percentage of both parents' combined income split by income share, and Virginia, Florida, Georgia and Alabama use income shares schedules, Florida on net income and the others on gross income. For two children with incomes of $4,000 and $6,000 a month and no shared custody, the guideline is $1,239.21 in Texas, $1,385.25 in New York, $1,094.40 in Virginia, $1,192.96 in Florida, $1,143.60 in Georgia and $1,020.00 in Alabama.
- Florida child support: the guidelines from start to finish (2026)Florida uses an income shares guideline on net income, Fla. Stat. § 61.30. Each parent's net income, gross income less taxes and other allowed deductions, is added; the schedule gives the minimum child support need for that income and number of children, and each parent's share is split by income. Child care and the children's health insurance are added in full, and when each parent has at least 73 overnights a year, the substantial time-sharing formula applies.
- New York child support: how the guideline works (2026)New York sets child support with the Child Support Standards Act: a fixed percentage of both parents' combined income, after certain deductions, up to $193,000 a year, shared between the parents in proportion to their incomes. The other parent pays their share to the parent the children live with most, plus a share of child care and health costs, and a court may depart from that amount only for reasons the law lists.
- Texas child support guidelines (2026)Texas child support is a percentage of the paying parent's monthly net resources: 20% for one child, 25% for two, rising to 40% for five or more, applied to net resources up to $11,700 a month. Net resources are income after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and a few other deductions. Medical and dental support for the children is ordered on top.
- Virginia child support: the guideline from start to finish (2026)Virginia uses an income shares guideline. Both parents' monthly gross incomes are added, the schedule in Code of Virginia § 20-108.2 gives the basic amount for that income and number of children, the children's health insurance and work related child care are added, and the total is split by each parent's share of income. A shared custody formula applies above 90 days a year with each parent, and a court can order a different amount only with written findings.
Comparisons
- Florida vs Georgia child support: which state is higher? (2026)Neither is always higher. Without shared time the two are close at middle incomes: for two children with incomes of $4,000 and $6,000 a month, the guideline is $1,192.96 in Florida and $1,143.60 in Georgia. Time with the other parent makes the bigger difference: Georgia lowers support for every court-ordered day, while Florida changes nothing until 73 overnights a year and then drops faster. At low incomes Georgia's low-income table can bring support below Florida's.
- Georgia vs Alabama child support: which state is higher? (2026)For most families without shared time, Georgia's guideline is higher. Both states start from the two parents' gross incomes, but their tables differ: for two children with incomes of $4,000 and $6,000 a month, it is $1,143.60 in Georgia and $1,020.00 in Alabama. Georgia lowers support for every court-ordered day with the other parent, while Alabama changes its formula only for a court order of 50/50 custody. At low incomes the order can flip, because Alabama's self-support reserve and Georgia's low-income table cut in at different points.
More about Georgia
- Back child support (arrears) in Georgia: interest, enforcement and jail (2026)In Georgia, child support expressed in a money amount accrues interest at 7 percent a year, starting 30 days after each installment is due, without any need to turn it into a judgment first; the court can apply, reduce or waive past-due interest after weighing four factors (O.C.G.A. § 7-4-12.1). The Division of Child Support Services collects arrears through income withholding, liens and bank levies, state and federal tax refund intercepts, license suspension, credit reporting and passport denial, and a court can find a parent in contempt, with a fine or jail. Past-due support cannot be reduced retroactively, and Georgia child support judgments entered after 1 July 1997 do not go dormant.
- Changing a child support order in Georgia (2026)A Georgia parent can petition to modify child support only when there is a substantial change in either parent's income and financial status or in the child's needs (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(k)(1)). A parent may not file another petition within two years of the final order on their own previous petition, unless the other parent did not use, or used more than, the court-ordered parenting time, or the petition is based on an involuntary loss of income (§ 19-6-15(k)(2)).
- Child support at high incomes in Georgia (2026)Georgia's table runs to $40,000 of combined monthly gross income, up from $30,000 before 1 July 2024. Above it, the court sets the basic obligation at the highest amount in the table, and the court or jury may deviate upward for high-income parents (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(i)(2)(A)). There is no percentage for the income above the table.
- How much is child support in Georgia by income? (2026)In Georgia the amount depends on both parents' incomes, the number of children and court-ordered parenting time. With the parent the children live with earning $4,000 a month, no parenting time and no extra costs, a parent earning $6,000 pays $771.00 for one child and $1,143.60 for two.
- Child support for more than one child in Georgia (2026)Georgia's table gives one figure for all the children in the case, for 1 to 6 children, and each extra child adds less than the one before. With incomes of $4,000 and $6,000 and no parenting time, the other parent pays $771.00 for one child, $1,143.60 for two and $1,345.20 for three.
- Self-employment and imputed income for child support in Georgia (2026)For a self-employed parent, Georgia counts gross receipts minus the ordinary and reasonable expenses needed to produce the income, leaving out excessive promotional, travel, vehicle or personal expenses, depreciation on equipment, home office costs and accelerated depreciation (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(f)(1)(B)). Half of self-employment tax is then deducted. A court can impute income when there is no reliable evidence of income, or when a parent is willfully or voluntarily unemployed or underemployed (§ 19-6-15(f)(4)).