Georgia changed how child support is calculated, and parents in Gwinnett County and Lawrenceville are already feeling it. The update is one of the more significant shifts to the state’s support guidelines in recent years. Here is what you need to know.
The biggest shift: Parenting time is now part of the calculation
Before 2026, judges in Georgia could choose whether to factor a noncustodial parent’s parenting time into the child support calculation. It was optional. Under the updated statute, that adjustment is now mandatory.
Any time a custody or visitation order is in place, the court must account for the time the noncustodial parent spends with the child. That includes everyday expenses during visits: food, clothing, transportation and personal care. The calculation follows a standardized formula under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(b)(5.1) and is recorded on Child Support Schedule C.
This matters because the more time a parent spends with a child, the more expenses they absorb directly. The updated law recognizes that both households carry real costs and builds that into the numbers.
How this affects support amounts
The impact varies depending on the custody arrangement.
Parents with substantial court-ordered parenting time may see their monthly obligation go down, since their direct spending is now counted in the formula. On the other side, a higher-earning custodial parent may take on more of the overall financial responsibility once parenting time is factored in.
Every case turns on its own numbers: income, number of children, the time split and additional costs like healthcare or childcare. The key change is that these adjustments no longer depend on a judge choosing to apply them.
What about existing orders?
Orders entered before January 1, 2026 do not automatically change. If you want to revisit your current order, Georgia law allows for modification when at least two years have passed since the order was entered and there has been a substantial change in either parent’s income or the child’s needs.
The change in the law itself can factor into that conversation, but it does not trigger an automatic review.
A low-income adjustment was also updated
The Georgia Child Support Commission also updated the low-income adjustment. Courts now apply a standardized cap on obligations for lower-earning parents rather than leaving it to judicial discretion. The goal is consistency across cases statewide.
If you have questions about how these changes apply to your situation in Gwinnett County or Lawrenceville, the Georgia Child Support Commission publishes the updated worksheets and guidelines online. A Georgia child support attorney can also help you figure out whether your current order still holds up under the new rules.