Child support is the amount of money non-custodial parents pay to help provide necessities for their children when they no longer live with them on a full-time basis. In January of 2007, Georgia changed its method of calculating child support payments. Prior to 2007, only the non-custodial parent’s income was taken into consideration, but after 2007, the income of both parents along with their financial obligations are considered when determining a final amount.  Child support is usually paid until the child graduates from high school or turns 18 (whichever occurs first), and non-custodial parents expect the transition to happen smoothly. Unfortunately, some parents experience unexpected problems when child support ends.

Enforcement Does Not Stop

In Georgia, child support enforcement automatically stops when the child turns 18 unless the agreement specifies that child support will be collected until the child graduates, is emancipated, or obtains a GED. However, there are cases in which a non-custodial parent continues having child support payments taken out of his or her paycheck when the obligation is supposed to end.  Though often the payments are being collected because the agreement extends past traditional guidelines for children with certain medical conditions or disabilities, errors occasionally occur that lead to payments continuing when they should have ceased.

Custody Agreement is for Multiple Children

After a couple with multiple children divorce or separate one child support order may be created that is meant to provide for all of the children from the relationship. If one child graduates from high school or reaches the age of majority, the non-custodial parent may not always see an automatic reduction in the support amount. It may be necessary to request a modification to ensure the amount that is being paid reflects the accurate number of children in the household who are still able to receive child support payments. During your hearing, be prepared to present evidence such as birth certificates or graduation records showing that one of your children is no longer eligible for child support.

Past Due Balances

Falling behind on child support in Georgia places a person at risk for enforcement actions, but even with numerous penalties, non-custodial parents often find themselves unable to pay the court-ordered amount. Once a person falls behind in child support, is difficult to bring his or her balance current, especially if he or she is incarcerated for failure to make child support payments.  When the time comes for the non-custodial parent to stop making child support payments, some discover that the past due balance is never completely paid off and income deductions continue to occur.

Get Help From an Attorney

A change in circumstances or simple clerical oversight can create serious problems for a non-custodial parent who suddenly finds the length of time he or she is expected to pay child support extended. The aggressive child support modification attorneys at Vayman & Teitelbaum are committed to assisting clients who encounter unexpected problems with their agreement when their child turns 18 or graduates from high school. Contact us today and schedule a consultation at one of our four offices conveniently located in the Atlanta metro area so that we can discuss your needs.