Is child support mandatory if we share custody of our children?

Full question:

My husband wants to share custody of our children in attempts to avoid paying any child support. He also refuses to pay any expenses (unless he desires) during the separation. Would you suggest I proceed with an uncontested divorce or is child support mandatory whether we share custody or not?

• Category: Divorce
• Subcategory: Child Support
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: Georgia

Answer:

In Georgia, child support is generally required, even if custody is shared. The state has established guidelines for calculating child support, which include various factors that can justify deviations from the standard amount. These factors include:

1. The ages of the children;
2. Educational costs;
3. Extraordinary medical expenses;
4. Day-care costs;
5. Shared physical custody arrangements;
6. Support obligations to other households;
7. Income that may be artificially suppressed;
8. In-kind income for self-employed individuals;
9. Other support a party is willing to provide;
10. Extraordinary expenses of a party;
11. Extreme economic circumstances;
12. Historical family spending for children;
13. Cost of living factors;
14. Any other factor deemed necessary by the court.

This means that even with shared custody, child support may still be ordered based on these considerations.