Georgia has child support guidelines based upon the income of the non-custodial parent. There is a range of percentages, depending on the number of children, and computed on the gross income from all sources. However, many factors can cause the actual amount to fluctuate and even deviate from the guidelines. Some of these are the ages of the children, day care costs, education costs, debt structure of the parties, the income of the custodial parent, children from other marriages or relationships, etc. Child support obligations are the same whether the support obligation arrises out of a divorce or a paternity action.
Courts have broad discretion to deviate from the guidelines when appropriate.
Courts may also consider any other factor they deem relevant. For that reason, it is impossible to predict the exact amount of support a court may order. In the vast majority of cases, however, the guidelines are not deviated from. In the vast majority of cases, child support is awarded based on reported wages of the payor, as demonstrated by income tax returns. In addition, income can also include an amount imputed as income based upon the parent's former resources or income, if the court determines that a parent has reduced resources or income in order to reduce or avoid the parent's obligation for child support.