Why You Should Discuss Child Support in a Mediated Atlanta Divorce

If you’re approaching a divorce in Atlanta, you may have heard that the family court has the “final say” regarding child custody and child support due to concerns about the child’s best interests. Why then would you bother discussing child support during a mediated divorce? You might want to expand on this topic with an experienced Atlanta family law attorney.

You Know More About Your Children Than a Judge

While a family court judge might have the final say about child support, they know much less about your children than you do. As parents, you may have spent years getting to know your children. Crucially, you likely understand their needs better than anyone else. Since child support is designed to cover your child’s needs, it makes sense to leave these decisions to knowledgeable parents.

Normal Child Support May Not Cover All of Your Needs

A family court judge may not fully understand what your child needs to live a happy, productive life. You should know that standard child support calculations may not factor in the things that matter most to your children. These might include the cost of football equipment, swimming lessons, dance lessons, or other “extra-curricular” pursuits that are incredibly important to your child’s mental and physical health.

Another example is college tuition. Child support ends at the age of 18 or when your child graduates from high school (whichever happens last). As a result, “standard” child support agreements do not cover college tuition. If you and your ex want to create an agreement on how to handle college tuition, you can do so via divorce mediation.

Formalizing these agreements almost always makes more sense than “playing it by ear.” With a written agreement on college tuition, both parents are on the same page. Without an agreement, parents might disagree on how to handle college tuition in the future. Crucially, absent an agreement, there will be no legal obligation for either parent to contribute once child support ends.

Productive Discussions Could Provide Both Parents With More Confidence

In a more general sense, mediation gives both parents the chance to have meaningful, productive discussions about the future of their children. Even if the parents have broken up on negative terms, they can at least begin to collaborate and serve their children’s best interests. The entire family can benefit psychologically from this process, and it may even mend rifts that would otherwise be widened during litigation.

Can a Family Law Attorney in Georgia Help With Child Support?

If you want to discuss child support during your mediated divorce in Georgia, you may want to meet with a family law attorney in Atlanta. While discussing this subject could be a smart decision, you may benefit from a general review of child custody principles with a lawyer before beginning your negotiations. Consider contacting Kaye, Lembeck, Hitt & French for further guidance.

Sources:

 georgia.gov/file-child-custody

georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/family-law/child-custody/