Georgia Custody (Parenting) Plan

The parents of any case involving the custody of a minor child are legally required to provide a parenting plan.^[2] The parents should decide whether to file for joint or sole custody and try to reach an agreement on other relevant terms involving childcare responsibilities and decision-making authority.

In Georgia, child support uses the shared income model, which adds together the parents’ gross income to determine the amount required to support each minor child under their custody.^[3] Parents can use the Georgia Child Support Calculator to estimate the amount that will be ordered by the court.

If the parents are in agreement about the arrangement, they can draft the parenting plan together for the court to approve. However, if the parents cannot cooperate, each parent should create a proposed parenting plan and submit it to the court before the date set by the court.

While some undisputed custody cases end in settlement before the first hearing, others require several hearings until the parents reach a settlement or the case goes to trial. If each parent has submitted their own proposed parenting plan, the court may approve one plan in its entirety or incorporate parts of both plans into a new one based on the child’s best interest.

After reviewing all evidence and testimonies, the court will issue a final order that binds both parents until the child turns 18. If both parties are still unable to reach a settlement, the judge will typically issue a temporary custody order, assign a court-appointed guardian, or order alternate methods of dispute resolution for the parents.