Governor Brian Kemp recently signed a significant new child support bill into law. Senate Bill 454 introduces major updates to how child support is calculated in Georgia. These changes are crucial for fathers to understand as they could impact their financial responsibilities significantly.
Key updates to the child support guidelines
Here are the main changes introduced by the new law:
- Updated Basic Child Support Obligation (BCSO) Table: The BCSO table, which helps determine the amount of child support based on income and number of children, has been revised. The updated table now extends up to $40,000 per month in income, reflecting the increased costs of raising children.
- New formula for lower incomes: A new low-income adjustment table has been introduced for parents earning between $18,600 and $47,400 annually. This table could result in lower child support payments, making the financial obligations more manageable for fathers earning within this range.
- Parenting time adjustment: The law now includes a mandatory adjustment based on the amount of time children spend with each parent. This change aims to ensure that child support payments are fairer and account for the actual time each parent spends caring for the children.
- Veterans’ benefits: Benefits received by disabled veterans for the benefit of their children will now be considered in the child support calculations, potentially reducing the amount veterans need to pay.
Implementation timeline
Part of SB 454 will take effect very soon. The new BCSO table will be effective from July 1, 2024. However, the rest will not become the law for another year and a half:
- The low-income adjustment and parenting time adjustment will start on January 1, 2026.
- Current rules for low-income deviation and parenting time deviation will remain effective until January 1, 2026.
Fatherhood and changes to child support
These changes to the child support laws in Georgia could have a significant impact on your financial responsibilities as a father in the years ahead. It’s important to stay informed and understand how these changes apply to your specific situation. If you have concerns or need clarification on how these updates might affect your child support obligations, consider reaching out to a family law attorney in the Macon area.
