Quick answer: In Georgia, unpaid child support accrues interest at 7% a year, starting 30 days after each installment is due, without anyone having to reduce it to a judgment first. Each installment is also a judgment by operation of law and a lien. The court has discretion to waive or reduce the interest.
This Georgia child support arrears calculator adds up the unpaid principal and simple interest under O.C.G.A. 7-4-12.1, and flags the license and passport thresholds. A court can order license suspension when arrears equal at least 60 days of support. The statutes we read give no expiration date for support judgments, and past installments cannot be modified.
Georgia child support arrears and interest at a glance
| Rule | What Georgia says |
|---|---|
| Interest | 7 percent a year commencing 30 days from the date an installment is due; no need to reduce to a judgment (O.C.G.A. 7-4-12.1) |
| Waiver | The court may modify the start date and has discretion to apply, waive or reduce interest, weighing good cause, hardship and the parent’s current ability to pay |
| Each installment | A judgment by operation of law on and after its due date; not retroactively modifiable (19-6-17(e)) |
| Lien | Unpaid support is a lien in favor of the obligee as of its due date (19-11-18(b)) |
| Court license order | Arrears equivalent to or greater than the support due for 60 days (19-6-28.1(b)) |
| Agency license list | More than 60 calendar days in arrears; 20 days to comply after notice (19-11-9.3) |
How do child support arrears work in Georgia?
- Interest and method. See the Georgia child support interest rate.
- Collection. See what happens if you do not pay child support in Georgia.
- Time limits and forgiveness. See whether Georgia child support arrears expire or can be forgiven.
What does this arrears calculator check?
You enter the monthly support and the number of installments unpaid. The calculator figures simple interest at 7% a year on each installment, starting 30 days after its due date, and flags the court license order (arrears equal to at least 60 days of support), the state agency certification (more than 60 calendar days in arrears) and the $2,500 passport threshold. It does not model partial payments or a court waiver. To change the amount going forward, see the Georgia child support modification calculator, and for when the obligation stops, the Georgia child support end date calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the interest rate on child support arrears in Georgia?
7 percent a year, starting 30 days from the date each installment is due. The statute says no one has to reduce child support to a judgment first to recover it.
Can Georgia child support interest be waived?
Yes. The court has discretion to apply, waive or reduce the interest and can change the date it starts, considering good cause for nonpayment, hardship and the parent's current ability to pay.
Is a missed Georgia child support payment a judgment?
Yes. Any payment or installment under a child support order is, on and after the date due, a judgment by operation of law, entitled to full faith and credit and not subject to retroactive modification.
When can a Georgia license be suspended for unpaid child support?
A court can order it when arrears equal at least the support due for 60 days, and the agency can certify an obligor more than 60 calendar days in arrears after notice and 20 days to comply.
Does Georgia put a lien on property for unpaid child support?
Yes. Unpaid support is a lien in favor of the obligee as of the date it was due, and it encumbers the obligor's property once recorded or registered.
Official sources
- O.C.G.A. 7-4-12.1: interest on Title 19 awards
- O.C.G.A. 19-6-17: judgments by operation of law
- O.C.G.A. 19-11-18: arrearage collection and liens
- O.C.G.A. 19-6-28.1: license suspension by the court
- O.C.G.A. 19-11-9.3: license suspension by the agency
- Georgia Division of Child Support Services: interest on child support judgments
- 42 U.S.C. 652(k): denial of passports