Maryland Child Support Attorneys
In Maryland, both parents have a duty to support their children. Child support is calculated by in-putting numbers into a formula called the Child Support Guidelines. The considerations are the gross amount of actual income each party earns (that means before tax income from all sources), whether either party has a pre-existing child support obligation for another child, whether either party is paying or receiving alimony, the cost of work related daycare for the child, the cost of health insurance coverage for the child, and whether there are any transportation costs relating to education for the child.
During the 2010 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly increased the Maryland Child Support Guidelines for the first time since 1989. The new child support guidelines go into effect for case filed on or after October 1, 2010. If you already have a child support order in effect, the new guidelines do not affect your case unless you have some other material change in circumstances that would permit you to file for a modification of child support.
The Maryland Child Support Guidelines apply to families whose total monthly income is below a certain amount. Above that cap, the Court is no longer forced to accept the guidelines as the answer. There is a method called extrapolation many Judges use for above-guidelines cases where they simply project the guidelines out as if they did not stop at the cap and compute the formula.
To find out more about filing for child support in Maryland, please contact us today at 410-590-9401.
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