Most states have child support guidelines in their statutes—often in the statutes collected in the state’s family code. These child support guidelines provide percentages and methods of calculating child support payments based on the number of children; the parents’ incomes and financial resources; the income and needs of the custodial parent; the needs of the children, including any special needs; and the standard of living for the children before the parents’ divorce or separation. The child support guidelines are just guidelines, and the court generally has discretion to order more or less child support based on the best interest of the children.

In Georgia, child support guidelines are established by state law and are primarily found in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) § 19-6-15. These guidelines are intended to ensure that child support orders are fair and consistent across the state. The guidelines take into account the income of both parents, the number of children, and include a basic child support obligation table to calculate the presumptive amount of child support. Additionally, the guidelines consider the financial needs and resources of the child, the custodial parent's income and needs, any special needs of the child, and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the marriage not ended. While these guidelines provide a framework for determining child support, Georgia courts have the discretion to deviate from the guideline amount when it is found to be in the best interest of the child, considering factors such as high medical expenses, educational costs, or other necessary expenses related to the child's well-being.