Child Support Attorneys in Rockville, Maryland

Whether you and the other parent of your children are getting divorced, have never been married but are separating, or you simply cannot get the other parent to assist you with your children’s financial needs, it is important that you speak with an attorney about your children’s right to receive support. At Mohammadi & Humayun Legal Team, we maintain the most up to date software used by the Maryland Court system to calculate the appropriate amount of child support in your case.

Maryland Child Support Guidelines

Maryland Child Support Guidelines are set forth in Maryland Code Family Law §12-204. Maryland law provides both parents are responsible for providing financial support for their children. The Child Support Guidelines apply in cases where the family’s combined gross income is equal to or less than $180,000.00 per year. The guideline child support amount is presumed to be correct, and will be ordered by the court unless the opposing party can present sufficient evidence as to why the guideline amount is inappropriate or not in the children’s best interest.

Maryland Child Support Guidelines are based on a mathematical formula. In order to calculate child support under the guidelines, you will need to have the following information:

• Gross monthly income of each of the parents,

• Amounts paid by either parent in child support for a child of another relationship or alimony to a previous spouse,

• Monthly costs for work-related daycare expenses, and

• Monthly costs for the provision of health insurance coverage for the children.

Maryland Code Family Law 12-204 provides a basic child support obligation depending on the number of children and the adjusted actual incomes of the parties. Adjusted actual income is gross income minus any existing child support or alimony obligations. In cases where one parent has the child in their care less than 128 overnights per year, the formula provides that each party pay a share of the basic child support, daycare expenses, and costs for health insurance based on the proportion of their adjusted actual income to the total adjusted income of the parties. Where parents share physical custody, defined as when the child spends at least 128 overnights a year in the home of each parent, then each party’s share of the basic child support obligation is multiplied by the percentage of time the child spends in the home of the other parent. The parent owing the larger amount of the two resulting child support obligations pays the difference to the other parent. If either parent incurs work related child care expenses and/or costs for the provision of health insurance coverage for the child, then these costs are shared in proportion to the parties’ adjusted actual incomes.

Above Guidelines Family Income

If you and your children’s other parent earn a combined gross income in excess of $180,000.00 per year, Maryland Guidelines do not apply and the court has discretion in setting the child support amount. In exercising its discretion the court will consider, among other things, the standard of living that the children enjoyed during the time the parties were living together or that had been established prior to the filing of an action for child support.

Modification of Child Support in Maryland

When and if changes occur to the financial circumstances of either of the parents or the expenses of the children, one party may be entitled to a modification of the child support amount to reflect the change in circumstances.

For more information about child support or modifying child support in Maryland, and how we can help, call Mohammadi & Humayun Legal Team via our online contact form.