According to the Employment Policies Institute, Georgia has a lower teen employment rate compared to almost all other states. That said, many teens work part-time, and some earn significant income. How does this affect your child support agreement in Georgia? Can you use your teen’s income to pay the bills or reduce your own child support obligations? This is a topic you might like to discuss with an experienced family law attorney in Georgia.
Your Teen’s Income Has No Real Impact on Child Support
First, it is important to understand that the family court doesn’t really consider the income earned by your teen when approaching child support decisions. As far as the family court is concerned, the only relevant factors are both parents’ financial circumstances. Even if your teen is earning a substantial amount of money, the parents are still entirely responsible for covering the child’s basic living expenses.
What if My Teen Works Full-Time?
If your teen works a full-time job, there is a good chance that they have graduated from high school. If this is the case, then you no longer need to pay child support. In Georgia, child support typically ends when a child graduates from high school. Unless the child is skipping school, it would be virtually impossible for them to work a full-time job before graduating. If your teen has graduated from high school and you’re still paying child support, you can terminate child support immediately.
Can I Take the Income My Child Earns?
In certain situations, parents can seize the income earned by their teens. However, this is something of a legal “gray area” that you might want to discuss with a lawyer first. Children have a limited right to own property, including income from a part-time job. While a parent has a right to take this income as a “conservator” or “guardian” of a teen, they may not be able to spend it however they like.
To avoid legal issues, parents should spend money seized from their teens on things that directly benefit the teen. While daily living costs are covered by child support, parents can use their teen’s income to fund college tuition in the future. They might also use the teen’s income to pay for extra-curricular expenses not covered by normal child support, such as dance, music, art, or sports.
Can a Georgia Child Support Attorney Help Me?
If your teen found a job, this doesn’t really impact your child support obligations or rights. You still have to pay your normal child support amount. If you are receiving child support, your ex should still continue to pay you the previously agreed-upon sums. That being said, parents may be able to divert some of their teen’s income toward additional expenses not usually covered by child support. Contact Georgia family law attorneys at Lankford & Moore Law for more information.
