Georgia Divorce Basics
What to Know About Divorce in Atlanta, GA
The 4 Parts of a Divorce
Georgia Divorce Explained
1
Child Custody
Child Custody
Determines Two Main Things
Whom the child / children live and spend time with.
AND
Who makes the major decisions for the child / children.
There are Two Types of Custody
Legal Custody
Who makes the major decisions for the child / children.
Physical Custody
Which parent the child / children spend time with and when
Property Division
Property Division Addresses the Distribution Between the Parties of Two Main Things
Debts
Credit Card Debt
Mortgages
Car Leases and Loans
Student Loan Debt
Other Financial Liabilties
Assets
Savings
Retirement Accounts
Stocks/Bonds/Investments
Homes
Vehicles
Other Valuable Property
The Two Different Types of Property
in a Divorce
Marital
Generally, anything acquired by the parties during the marriage. Marital Property is subject to division.
Separate
Generally, anything acquired by the individuals before the marriage. Separate Property is not subject to division
2
3
Child Support
What Is
Child Support?
Child support is a certain amount of financial support that one parent pays to the other to help cover the costs of raising a child / children.
How is Child Support Determined?
Child support is calculated using Georgia's Child Support Worksheet (also known as Georgia's Child Support Calculator), which can be found here.
There are 3 Main Parts
in a Child Support Determination
Deviations
Adjustments to the child support amount that was calculated by the parties gross income.
Income of Each Parent
Determined by gross income. That is, income before taxes
Other Expenses
Daycare Costs
Insurance Costs
Special/Extraordinary Expenses
Alimony
What is Alimony?
Alimony is a certain amount of financial support paid by one spouse / ex-spouse to the other for the separate maintenance and support of that spouse / ex-spouse.
The Two Primary Considerations in
Alimony Determinations
Needs of One Spouse
Based on the circumstances, does one spouse need financial support from the other?
Ability to Pay
Does the other spouse have the financial resources to pay alimony for the support of their ex, and if so, how much should it be?
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