Georgia moved to an income-shares system in 2007, and the state’s own worksheet is what parents and courts actually use to run the numbers. Here’s how it works under O.C.G.A. §19-6-15.
Georgia’s Income Shares Model
Georgia combines both parents’ incomes, looks up a Basic Child Support Obligation (BCSO) on the state’s official table, and divides that obligation based on each parent’s share of the combined income.
Step 1: Gross Income, Not Net
Unlike Florida or Pennsylvania, Georgia’s worksheet starts from gross income — pay before taxes — from sources such as:
- Wages, salary, bonuses, and commissions
- Self-employment or business income
- Rental and investment income
- Retirement, Social Security, and disability income
From there, the worksheet allows a short list of adjustments — such as pre-existing child support obligations and self-employment taxes — to reach each parent’s adjusted income.
Step 2: Find the Basic Obligation and Split It
Both parents’ adjusted incomes are added together, matched to the number of children on the official table, and each parent’s pro rata share is calculated from their percentage of the combined income. A parent earning 60% of the combined income is responsible for 60% of the Basic Child Support Obligation.
What’s Layered On Top
- Work-related childcare costs
- Health and dental insurance premiums for the child
- Extraordinary medical or educational expenses
- A mandatory Parenting Time Adjustment based on the noncustodial parent’s overnights, plus an automatic low-income adjustment for lower-earning parents, both added under a 2026 update to the guidelines
When the Numbers Get Unusual
Courts can deviate from the worksheet result — for example, when combined parental income is above roughly $40,000 a month or below about $1,850 a month — but any deviation has to serve the child’s best interest and be explained on the record.
Estimate Your Georgia Child Support
Georgia’s official worksheet, from the Georgia Child Support Commission, is what actually gets filed with the court. The Child Support Calculator is a good first pass to see roughly where you’ll land before filling that worksheet out.
Official Resources
- Georgia Division of Child Support Services – Guidelines
- Georgia Child Support Commission – Official Calculator
- Child Support Calculator (childpaycalc.com)
This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Formulas, percentages, and dollar caps change over time and courts can deviate from the guideline result — confirm current figures with the official resources above or a family law attorney before relying on any number.