Whether you are an unmarried parent or a divorced parent, you have rights to child support in GA. The local laws make both parents financially responsible for the child. If the other parent does not maintain their responsibility, then you could take legal action.
How to Collect Child Support
There are two ways in which you can collect child support in GA. First, you can work out an agreement with the other parent. If you are going through a divorce, you can include child support in the divorce agreement.
Even if you are unmarried, you can still create an agreement for child support. If you have a court-supported agreement, then you have the rights to child support. Of course, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, the other parent wants nothing to do with the situation.
If the other parent refuses to pay child support, then you can take legal action. You can contact the Division of Child Support Services, or DCSS, for help. You can also work with a lawyer.
The Steps Towards Getting Support
By taking legal action, you can seek child support. To learn more about the steps you need to take to receive child support, you can visit DCSS’s website.
If you receive help from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or specific Medicaid benefits, DCSS will help you for no charge. However, everyone else must pay $25. For more extensive assistance, you can work with a lawyer.
Finding the Noncustodial Parent
Before you can receive child support, you need to locate the noncustodial parent. You need to provide a residence or place of business for the parent. If you don’t know the location of them, then it could take months for the proper authorities to find them. Additionally, it is much more difficult to get child support if the other parent lives out of the state of Georgia.
Proving Paternity
Before you can receive child support, you need to establish paternity. DCSS or a lawyer can order a paternity test, which occurs by swab or blood sample. However, this is not necessary if you have already established paternity.
Filing the Order
The next step is to file the order for child support. In the order, there is a specific value for child support. The order uses the Georgia Child Support Guidelines to decide the amount of child support the custodial parent will receive.
There are several factors that play into the amount of child support your receive. For example, the court considers the adjusted income of each parent. They also consider which parent gets medical insurance. If the noncustodial parent has access to affordable medical coverage, the court might order them to pay for it.
Receiving Payments
After you file the order, you need to work out the payment details. The child support money comes directly from the noncustodial parent’s paycheck. However, there are some rare cases in which the state could order other payment arrangements.
If the parent does not pay child support, they are in contempt of court. They could face a fine or jail time. Additionally, a judge could force them to enter the Parental Accountability Court program. Regardless of the other consequences, they also need to pay the full amount of child support they owe.
Getting Help
If you have questions about child support, you should speak to a child support lawyer in Newnan, GA. Georgia law entitles you to a level of child support from the noncustodial parent. With some help, you can get the money you deserve.
