What YOU should know about
Georgia Child Support Laws

The purpose of the Georgia Child Support program is to enhance the well-being of children by assuring there is assistance in obtaining financial and medical support. They provide services such as locating parents, establishing paternity, establishing support obligations, and enforcing and reviewing support obligations.

Paternity Testing

You may be required to submit to genetic testing for paternity determination of the children in this case. If paternity has not been established by marriage or court documents, genetic testing may be used to determine the correct paternity. If the NCP is the father of the child, he will be required to sign an order for support. If not, he will be released from any other responsibility, and you will be asked for information about another potential father.

How Child Support Amounts are Decided

The NCP's total gross monthly income is multiplied by the percentage specified in the Georgia child support guidelines found in Georgia Law, O.C.G.A. 19-6-15. Ranges are as follows:1 Child = 17-23%; 2 Children = 23-28%; 3 Children = 25-32%; 4 Children = 29-35%; 5 or more Children = 31-37%.

Most cases are based on midrange for the number of children. Other factors specified in O.C.G.A. 19-6-15 might be considered when determining the amount of Georgia child support within and outside the range. These include, but are not limited to, the availability and reasonable cost of medical insurance coverage and or any additional minor children that the NCP is legally responsible to support.

We believe in:

• promoting family self-sufficiency with stability
• the fundamental right of each child involved to have a legal
• parent/child relationship
• professionalism, integrity and moral conduct
• our responsibility to provide good services to the public
• working with other local agencies and states
• Arrears Repayment

A monthly repay amount may be established to collect past due support owed based on a current Georgia child support order. The NCP's tax returns, lottery winnings, unemployment, workers compensation, and other lump sum payments may be intercepted and applied to the debt.

Review and Modification of a Court Order

You have the right to request a review of your child support order for a possible modification. Generally under agency procedure, a support order must be at least 36 months old before a review will be conducted unless a substantial change in circumstances can be proven by the requesting party. The review might result in a recommendation for an increase or a decrease in the current support amount and/or a provision for medical insurance coverage. If you are the requesting party, you must complete and submit an Application for Modification Services along with a non-refundable $100 administrative processing fee for each case.

This fee will not be waived unless you are receiving TANF benefits, or your total gross income is $1,000 or less per month at the time of your written request. Payment of the fee does not guarantee that a modification will result in a change in favor of the party paying for this service. Fee payment merely insures that OCSS will determine if a modification action is appropriate at the time of application.

Consideration will be given to the appropriateness of adding medical insurance coverage and/or adjusting the support order upwards, downwards or whether it should remain the same. Payment of the OCSS administrative fee reimburses the state for a portion of its expenses and does not create any contract, expressed or implied, for services of the OCSS attorney. All applicants are reminded that OCSS Attorneys represent the State of Georgia only and not any applicant for Georgia child support services.

Interstate Case Processing

If the NCP lives in another state, your case may meet the requirements for referral through the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). If so, you may have to complete an UIFSA packet labeled 'General Testimony' in addition to the Custodial Parent Application for Geogia Child Support Services. Based on past experience with other states, the time it takes to obtain an order through the UIFSA process may take between (6) and (12) months. Please note that in the UIFSA process, enforcement taken on your case is at the discretion of the other State.

Case Closure Information

Your case may be closed for enforcement services at any time if you are not receiving TANF and no State debt exists. If you are receiving Family Medicaid, OCSS must continue to enforce or obtain a medical insurance order. If an Income Deduction Order is in place and deductions are being withdrawn from the NCP's paycheck by the employer, the case can be closed for enforcement services, but must remain active in our system to allow distribution of payments made through the Family Support Registry.

If you are a registered user, you can request case closure on this website by clicking on the Site Map in the left column. When the Site Map page displays, click on the Close My Case link under the heading My Case. From the Close My Case link, you can follow the directions to request closure of your case. If you are not a registered user, you will first need to register by clicking the Register link in the left column.

OCSS will provide services to you ONLY in matters relating to:

1. Location of the Non-Custodial Parent (NCP), for child support purposes ONLY;
2. Establishment of paternity, for Georgia child support purposes ONLY;
3. Establishment of a child support order, including medical insurance when available at reasonable cost;
4. Modification of a child support order. The review process will not begin until the OCSS receives a written request and payment of a non-refundable $100 application fee for each case being reviewed. This fee will not be waived unless you are receiving TANF benefits, or your total gross income is $1,000 or less per month at the time of your request. You may be required to show a significant change in circumstances as required by Georgia Law, O.C.G.A. 19-11-12 before a modification will occur;
5. Enforcement of a child support order, including medical support, using all applicable means;
6. Collection and distribution of amounts collected;
7. Collection of spousal support, only when included in an order for child support and the child has not been emancipated;
8. Calculate and collect interest on overdue Georgia child support pursuant to a support order originated in Georgia. Interest on orders issued outside the state of Georgia may or may not be enforced by OCSS. Refer to the Application and Assignment for Child Support Services for details.

OCSS will not do the following: (If needed, you must pursue them through a private attorney)

• File a divorce action;
• Assistance in obtaining legal custody or guardianship in order to be eligible for OCSS services;
• Take legal action to pursue visitation or custody;
• Enforce court-ordered payment of unpaid bills, attorneys fees, property settlement, out-of-pocket medical bills, or any other items not related to child support payments;
• Establish or enforce 'spousal support only' orders;
• Legitimate the minor child(ren)
• Seek retroactive child support (prior to a child support order).

OCSS has sole discretion in determining which legal remedy shall be used to provide program services. You understand that you as the custodian may not make recommendations for individual services to be used by OCSS. OCSS will attempt to provide all services considered appropriate for your case and situation.

If your public assistance (TANF) or Family Medicaid case in Georgia closes, OCSS is required by state and federal laws to continue to provide you with child support services unless you notify us, in writing, to close your Georgia child support case.

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