Child Support In Maryland

In Maryland, Maryland we calculate child support based on the Child Support Guidelines. Generally, the parent who the child lives with receives child support and the parent who the child does not live with pays the child support. Child support can change if the parents have shared custody of the child, where the child lives with one parent some of the time and lives with the other parent for the remaining time. The Child Support Guidelines try to estimate the percentage of the income that the parent would be spending on the child if the child lived with the parent.

Generally, when calculating child support, the court first figures out each parent's actual income. Actual income includes salary, ages, bonuses, and benefits (like social security or workers compensation). Actual income does not include temporary cash assistance, food stamps, Supplemental Security Income etc. The court then figures out each parent's adjusted actual income. The adjusted actual income is the parent's income minus any existing child support or alimony that the parent is paying. The court then adds up both parent's adjusted actual incomes. Then the amount is plugged into the Guidelines chart and based on that chart the court determines the basic child support obligation. The court then calculates additional expenses for the child - such as health insurance, daycare, medical expenses, etc. This is the total child support obligation. The parent paying child support is then responsible for a court-determined percentage of the total child support obligation.

We handle Maryland's divorces on a daily basis and we've been doing it for more than 20 years. Call the Law Offices of David L. Ruben today for a free consult (410) 766-4044.