People navigating divorce and other child support cases have more resources at their disposal than ever before. However, when looking for knowledge online, it can be incredibly difficult to know what is true and what is false. That’s why the experienced family law experts at Oxendine Law are here to help. We created this blog post to address child support in Georgia and debunk a few of the more common myths that persist around this particular topic.

Myth #1: A father who was never married to the child’s mother will not have to pay child support

This is false. Whether or not a couple was married has no bearing on the payment of child support. Even in cases where the couple was never married, one parent may have to make child support payments to the other. A mother can initiate a child support action even if the father is not the legitimate legal father, and a father who later legitimates and obtains custody may be entitled to an award of child support from the mother.

Myth #2: Child support payments are tax deductible

Unfortunately, the parent responsible for providing child support cannot deduct the amount paid in a given year from his or her taxes. Additionally, a person cannot claim most expenses incurred from child care without a legally binding child custody agreement set in place.

Myth #3: There is no child support in cases of joint child custody

Many parents may not realize that this is also false. While it may seem counterintuitive that there should be child support in cases where both parents share equal parenting time and equal decision-making rights, the courts will still look to the children’s needs and make a determination about child support. If the parents’ respective finances indicate a situation where child support payments will be appropriate, an award of child support will be granted.

We hope that our readers find this information helpful. We always pride ourselves on being there for our clients and making sure they feel informed and in good hands through every step of their family law process. For more information, contact Oxendine Law at (770) 497-8688 today to schedule a meeting in-person, over the phone, or by video conference. Don’t forget to follow along with us on Facebook and Instagram for additional family law tips, news, videos, and more.