How Does Child Support Work in a Maryland Divorce?

 Posted on December 17, 2025 in Uncategorized

Divorce changes your family structure, but it does not change your children's needs. For parents in Maryland, understanding child support obligations helps you plan for your financial future. More importantly, it helps ensure your children get the financial support they deserve during and after the divorce process.

Child support in Maryland divorce cases is calculated using state guidelines that consider:

• Both parents' incomes

• The number of children

• Whether a parent is already making support payments to another family

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that nearly 45 percent of parents get the full amount of child support they need. Even if you are worried you aren’t going to get your ex to make payments, you should talk to an attorney. Our Clarksville, MD child support and child custody lawyer will help you understand how these payments work.

How Does Maryland Calculate Child Support?

Maryland uses an income shares model for child support calculations. This method assumes children should receive the same support they would have received if the parents had stayed together. The court combines both parents' gross incomes, then determines each parent's share of that combined income. The court uses a specific formula outlined in the Maryland Family Law Code Section 12-204 to determine the amount.

The guidelines consider several factors when calculating support:

• Each parent's actual income

• Work-related childcare expenses

• Health insurance costs for the children

• Extraordinary medical expenses not covered by insurance

• The number of overnights each parent has with the children

The parent with less custody time typically pays support to the parent with primary physical custody. However, in shared custody arrangements where each parent has the children for roughly equal time, the calculation adjusts to reflect that.

What Income Counts Toward Child Support in Maryland?

Maryland courts look at gross income before taxes and deductions. This includes salary, overtime pay, commissions, self-employment income, rental property income, and investments. The court may also consider bonuses. If a parent is already paying child support to another family, the court can deduct those payments before calculating payments in a new case.

For self-employed parents, courts examine business income carefully and may look at tax returns from several years. The court can also impute income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. This means the court assigns an income level based on what that parent could reasonably earn if they were working.

Can Child Support Be Changed After the Divorce?

Child support orders are not permanent and can be changed when circumstances change enough. Maryland law allows either parent to ask for a change if there has been a major change in circumstances since the original order was entered.

Common reasons for modifying child support in Maryland include:

• A significant change in either parent's income

• Changes in the custody arrangement

• Changes in the children's needs such as medical expenses or educational costs

• Changes in childcare expenses

The parent who wants the court to increase or decrease child support must show that the change is substantial and ongoing, not temporary. 

In Maryland, you can also ask the court to review your child support order every three years even without a change in circumstances. This allows parents to make sure the support amount remains appropriate over time.

How Long Does Child Support Last in Maryland?

Child support typically continues until the child turns 18 years old or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. Support does not automatically extend past the child's 19th birthday, even if they are still in high school.

In some circumstances, child support may continue beyond these limits. If a child has a mental or physical disability that requires long-term support, the court may order child support to continue indefinitely. Parents can also agree to extend support beyond the normal end date, such as to help pay for college expenses. Maryland courts cannot order support for college without parental agreement.

Does our Custody Arrangement Affect Child Support Amounts?

The amount of time each parent spends with the children directly impacts child support calculations in Maryland. When one parent has the children for more than 128 overnights per year, the court considers this shared physical custody and adjusts the support calculation accordingly.

Contact a Columbia Child Support Attorney

Child support affects your family's financial future and your children's well-being. Whether you need child support, will be paying child support, or need to modify an existing order, you should understand your rights.

Our Clarksville, MD child support lawyer at DM Family Law brings over 20 years of experience. With personalized attention, our attorney helps you keep your children's best interests at the forefront. Call us at 443-545-8100.