HB 510: Domestic relations; duration of child support for postsecondary education; provide

Georgia law already lets judges order child support to continue past age 18 if a child is still in high school, but only until the child turns 20. This bill adds a new, separate option covering education after high school. Under the change, a judge handling a divorce, separation, paternity, or child support case could direct one or both parents to help pay for a child enrolled in a technical school, vocational school, college, university, or other postsecondary program. That support could not be required after the child turns 24. Judges would have to verify the child's enrollment and attendance, and when setting the amount, would have to weigh tuition along with other related fees and expenses. The new rule would apply to support orders entered on or after July 1, 2025, and either parent, a nonparent custodian, a guardian, or the child could enforce it.

• Adds a new provision to Georgia's child support law (O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15) letting judges order parents to pay for a child's postsecondary education.
• Sets the cutoff age for this postsecondary support at 24, separate from the existing age-20 cutoff for high school support.
• Requires the court to verify the child's enrollment and attendance at the technical school, college, or other institution before ordering support.
• Directs judges to factor in tuition plus additional fees and expenses when calculating the support amount.
• Allows either parent, a nonparent custodian, a court-appointed guardian, or the child themselves to enforce this postsecondary support provision.
• Applies the new rule to child support orders entered on or after July 1, 2025.

Divorced or separated parents involved in child support cases, judges who set support orders, young adults enrolled in technical schools, colleges, or universities who could receive support until age 24, and nonparent custodians or guardians who may enforce these orders on a child's behalf.

Families going through divorce, paternity, or child support proceedings could see judges order continued financial help for college or trade school costs, extending support obligations years beyond the current age-20 limit for high school. This could change monthly payments and household budgets for both paying and receiving parents.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(e), splitting existing high school support rules into paragraph (1) and adding a new paragraph (2) for postsecondary education support.
• New paragraph (2) lets courts order support for a child attending a technical school, vocational school, college, university, or other postsecondary institution.
• Support under the new provision cannot be required after the child turns 24 years old.
• Courts must require verification of the child's enrollment and attendance before ordering this support.
• Courts must consider tuition, fees, and related expenses when determining the amount of support.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying to all support orders entered on or after that date.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-21House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-20House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-19House Hopper (House)

• Derrick Jackson (D, HD-068)Primary sponsor
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Kimberly Alexander (D, HD-066)
• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)
• Lydia Glaize (D, HD-067)
• Imani Barnes (D, HD-086)

• child support
• family law
• college costs
• divorce and custody