Child Support

No divorce is without its contentious aspects. A major point of concern for both parties involves child support. Your child custody and support arrangements go hand in hand, as Georgia state law dictates that physical custody generally determines who makes child support payments. In most cases, the non-custodial parent (the parent with less physical possession time with the child) pays child support, but there may be some instances in which child support is paid by both parents. If you need help navigating the complexities of child support in the state of Georgia, contact Woodstock child support attorney Laura Austin.

There may be some disagreement in determining your (or your ex-spouse’s) child support payment, and the courts will ultimately make a final ruling. Once this ruling is in your divorce decree, it’s legally binding. There are limited instances in which you can request a modification for child support. This is usually the result of a “substantial life change” such as a job that comes with a promotion or being fired from a job. If you request a modification to your child support order, you must provide the courts with proof of your change in income. If the courts deny a request for modification, the noncustodial parent will still be required to make payments as scheduled, and in the full amount.

If a person ordered to pay child support fails to do so, you can take them to Court to have them fined and have their future child support changed. Courts will generally either order a lump-sum payment to make up for any missed child support or increase the monthly child support obligation to slowly pay off the child support arrearage over time. In such circumstances, Courts will generally order that the reasonable family law attorney fees incurred by the parent who had to enforce the Court’s Order be paid by the parent who failed to pay their child support obligations.

Georgia child support payments often become a subject of debate in court proceedings, whether it’s determining an initial amount or getting a noncustodial parent to make their payments. Woodstock child support attorney Laura Austin can help you settle all your child support matters swiftly. Laura Austin will aggressively fight for your rights should litigation become necessary. To schedule a free initial consultation with our Cherokee County child support lawyer, please contact us.