Basic Rights of Parents
This document discusses the basic of rights of parents under the law, excerpted from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Modification of a Court Order in a Family Law Case
This document explains how to modify a court order in a family law case.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Basics of Child Support
FAQs on Georgia's New Child Support Law
Frequently Asked Questions on Georgia's new child support laws (effective 1/01/2007).
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
The Georgia Child Support Law Details the 2007 child support law for the state of Georgia
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Office of Child Support Enforcement Handbook
(Separate Website)
This guide has information about the Child Support (CSE) Program and services that are available to you. The CSE Program is a government program to help make parents support their children when thy do not live together. Federal, state, and local agencies work together to try to collect child support payments for you.
By: U.S. Deparment of Health and Human Services
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Calculating Child Support Step by step instructions for calculating child support under Georgia's 2007 child support law.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Enforcing Child Support
Child Support Enforcement Fact Sheet
(Separate Website)
Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) services are available to Georgia parents who need assistance. The custodial parent may apply at the OCSE office that serves their county. There is an application fee of $25.00. The custodial parent is asked to furnish legal documents, if available, and information about the non-custodial parent. This web page contains additional information about the child support enforcement process.
By: Office of Child Support Enforcement
Child Support Enforcement Process
(Separate Website)
The Office of Child Support Enforcement will take the following steps to collect child support from a non-custodial parent: Step 1: Opening a Child Support Case, Step 2: Locating the Non-custodial Parent, Step 3: Establishing Paternity, Step 4: Establishing a Support Order, and Step 5: Enforcing a Support Order. These web pages describe the process and provide answers to common questions.
By: Office of Child Support Enforcement
Collecting Child Support: A Guide For Parents Your child has a right to be supported. By law, parents must support their child until the child either (1) reaches the age of 18 (if in high school, up to age 20), (2) marries, or (3) becomes emancipated. This web page explains how to collect child support.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program
Enforcing Child Support
This document contains information about the process for enforcing child support.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
License Suspension for Failure to Pay Student Loans or Child Support
(Separate Website)
The Secretary of State?s office has the authority to suspend the professional licenses (i.e. dentists, engineers, used car dealers, cosmetologists, stock brokers, etc.) of those individuals who are delinquent in paying their court-ordered child support. Through this program, the Secretary of State?s office has collected millions of dollars in past due support. This authority does not extend to professionals who receive licensure through other agencies. For example, other state agencies have the ability to suspend drivers? licenses when child support is owed.
By: Georgia Secretary of State
Military Issues
Common Questions about the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act
(Separate Website)
This document answers common questions about the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act which covers enforcement of child support, alimony, and other obligations that members of the Armed Services have toward their spouses and children.
By: Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Veterans
(Separate Website)
The website has information on dependency and indemnity compensation ? a financial benefit for eligible survivors of certain deceased veterans
By: Department of Veteran?s Affairs
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Common Questions about Alimony and Child Support from Military Personnel and Defense Employees
(Separate Website)
This web page contains answers to common questions about collecting child support and alimony from military personnel and employees of the Department of Defense.
By: Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Can I continue to receive health insurance for myself and my children?
(Separate Website)
You can ask the court to order your spouse to provide health insurance for the children. If you want health insurance coverage for yourself, some laws let you continue receiving health insurance coverage (COBRA). You must give the insurance company certain notices. The premium payments must be made. You can ask the court to order your spouse to pay these. Tell your lawyer if you need health insurance coverage from your spouse. If the insurance coverage is cut off, you may not be able to get it back.
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Can I get alimony?
(Separate Website)
Alimony is money for support paid to a spouse by the other spouse. Alimony can last for a short time or a long time. The court usually awards alimony only when a long-term marriage ends. One person must show a need for support, while the other person must have the ability to pay.
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Can I get part of my spouse's military retirement or civilian pension?
(Separate Website)
You may be able to get part of your spouse's military retirement or civilian pension. This can be true even if your spouse is not retired yet. Sometimes you cannot begin to receive these benefits until your spouse retires. There are two reasons for a court to give a part of a spouse's military retirement or civilian pension. Sometimes courts call it dividing the "property" obtained during the marriage. Sometimes courts call it alimony. You should tell your lawyer if you think your spouse has a military or civilian pension or any other benefit. You have to ask for these benefits during the divorce. You can't ask for these benefits later after the divorce is final.
Can my spouse and I agree to have no child support?
(Separate Website)
No. Child support belongs to the children; not the parents. For that reason, parents may not give up child support.
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Child Support in Georgia Georgia?s new child support guidelines began January 1, 2007. Under the old law, courts
used just the income of the parent the child
was not living with to decide how much child
support should be paid. Under the new law,
courts will consider the income of both
parents. The court will also look at the best
interest of the children.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program
I already have an order for child support. Do I still need to fill out the financial affidavit and the child support worksheets?
(Separate Website)
Yes, you must fill out the financial affidavit and child support worksheets. The court will not accept your papers for filing without the completed affidavit and worksheets. Divorce laws frequently change, and the court must make sure that the child support amount complies with the current laws. Also, the court must make sure that the child support amount is fair given the current income of the parents.
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LegalAid-GA is a project of Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Georgia Legal Services Program and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia. The project is funded by the Legal Services Corporation and the Georgia Access to Justice Project.
(Separate Website)
