Either one or both of the parents are obligated by law to pay money for child support so that the burden of raising and maintaining the children is not left up to one parent alone. In some states, including Georgia, to make the process speedier and easier, income deduction orders come into play.

What is an Income Deduction Order

An Income Deduction Order or IDO refers to a court order to employers which automatically deducts the child support payments from the parent who’s supposed to be paying it.  An IDO has many benefits, one being that there is no chance that the child support payments will be delayed, forgotten, or refused. It also eliminates the need for the separated parents to interact, which can be a blessing for those that didn’t end the marriage on good terms and plan to avoid any unnecessary contact in the future.

How Does It Work

The preliminary requirement of an IDO is that both parents agree to it or a court orders it. When it has been decided that child support money will be shared between the partners through this way, a judge signs an Income Support Order. This order is then registered with the Department of Human Services and sent to the employer of the parent ordered to pay.

Each month, a certain sum is directly deducted from the child-support paying parent and the money is sent to the account with the Department of Human Services, where it can be retrieved by the receiving parent.

Is It Really Necessary?

No, an Income Deduction Order is not necessary.  If the parents deem it unnecessary for there to be an IDO, and they are happy to make other arrangements, then there is absolutely no need for an IDO. Each divorce is different, and it is mostly circumstances that decide the necessity of an IDO.

The Law Offices of Daniela McCalla, LLC understands that each divorce and child support case is different. Our family law attorneys are trained to take into account every detail and give the best counsel to clients. Before proceeding further with the case, take a family law attorney into the folds for better guidance and understanding of Income Deduction Orders in Georgia.