Divorce itself doesn’t show up on your credit report. Rather, credit scores can be affected by what happens to the debts and accounts you shared with your spouse.

If you’re divorcing in 2026, a Howard County, MD divorce attorney can help you sort out what needs attention before it becomes a bigger problem.

When Can Getting Divorced in Maryland Affect Your Credit Score?

Your marital status does not appear on your credit report, but the division of debts and accounts in the marriage can have an impact on your score. Closing joint lines of credit can also have an effect.

How Does Maryland Divide Debt in a Divorce?

Under Maryland Family Law Code Section 8-205, a court can grant a "monetary award to adjust the equities between spouses." This helps the court reach a fair result when dividing marital property. The court considers factors such as each spouse’s contributions to the marriage, their financial circumstances, and how the property was acquired.]]> Divorce 2026-09-10 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/will-i-get-sole-custody-of-my-child-in-maryland https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/will-i-get-sole-custody-of-my-child-in-maryland

Parents have many reasons for wanting sole custody of their children. They may be the primary caretaker and so feel they ought to have primary responsibility for their child. They may feel their child is unsafe with their other parent, or that the other parent only wants custody as a way to exert control.

Whatever the reason, Maryland courts do not automatically grant any parent sole custody. Instead, courts decide custody based on what is in the child’s best interests. Factors can include the child’s safety and needs, each parent’s role in the child’s life, and the parents’ ability to communicate and co-parent.

If you have questions about custody of your child in 2026, a Fulton, MD family law lawyer can help answer them for you.

How Does Maryland Typically Divide Custody of a Child?

There are two distinct types of custody in Maryland: legal custody and physical custody.]]> Child Custody 2026-08-10 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/is-domestic-violence-punished-in-a-maryland-divorce https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/is-domestic-violence-punished-in-a-maryland-divorce The purpose of a Maryland divorce is to resolve issues such as child custody, child and spousal support, and property division—not to punish either spouse for misconduct such as domestic violence.

However, domestic violence is a very serious offense in Maryland. It can help determine many of the decisions a court will make during a divorce. If domestic violence has been present in your marriage, a Severna Park, MD family law attorney can help you understand what the impact will be on your divorce proceedings in 2026.

Does Domestic Violence Factor Into a Maryland Divorce After the 2023 Law Changes?

Maryland significantly changed its divorce laws effective October 1, 2023. One significant change was the elimination of fault-based grounds for divorce. These included "cruelty of treatment" and "excessively vicious conduct." Before October 1, 2023, a victim of domestic violence could cite abuse as a formal legal ground for divorce.]]> Domestic Violence 2026-07-12 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/will-i-still-get-child-support-in-maryland-if-i-earn-more-than-my-ex https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/will-i-still-get-child-support-in-maryland-if-i-earn-more-than-my-ex Child support in Maryland is intended to give the child the financial resources they would have had if their parents had stayed together. Because of this, it is possible that you’ll receive child support from your ex, even if they earn less than you. Whether you receive support depends on both parents' incomes, how parenting time is divided, and which parent the child primarily lives with.

If you're navigating a child support question in 2026, a Pasadena, MD child support attorney can help you understand what to expect in your situation.

How Does Maryland Calculate Child Support?

Maryland does not look at one parent's income in isolation. It also does not automatically make the higher-earning person pay child support to the lower-earning one. The state uses what's called the income shares model to determine how much support is needed and who pays it to whom.]]> Child Support 2026-06-13 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/does-life-insurance-get-divided-in-a-maryland-divorce https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/does-life-insurance-get-divided-in-a-maryland-divorce Life insurance isn't always the first thing people think about when dividing assets in a divorce. Still, it can have significant financial value. Whether a policy gets divided, transferred, or left alone depends on the type of policy you have. If you're heading into a divorce in 2026 and aren’t sure how your life insurance will be handled, our Laurel, MD divorce attorney can help.

Does Maryland Treat Life Insurance as Marital Property?

Maryland Code, Family Law Article §8-201 outlines how courts distinguish between marital and nonmarital property. Life insurance can be either, depending on its structure.

Term life insurance has no cash value. It pays a death benefit if the insured person dies during the coverage period. There's nothing to divide while both spouses are alive. Term policies typically aren't considered marital property, though the beneficiary designation is a separate legal issue that’s worth addressing.]]> Divorce 2026-05-14 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/how-does-50-50-custody-affect-child-support-in-maryland https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/how-does-50-50-custody-affect-child-support-in-maryland A lot of parents assume that equally shared custody cancels out the need for child support. In Maryland, though, the decision about how much parents need to pay towards the support of their children is more nuanced than this. Even in a true 50/50 arrangement, one parent may still owe the other monthly support payments.

If you're working through a custody or divorce case in 2026 and want to understand what you might pay or receive, a Glen Burnie child support lawyer can help .

Does Equal Custody Mean No Child Support Is Owed in Maryland?

Equal parenting time doesn't automatically end a child support obligation in Maryland. This is because many – perhaps most – cases involve one parent who makes more money than the other. Child support in Maryland is meant to give children the resources they would have had if their parents hadn’t divorced. A system that canceled child support if there was 50/50 custody would take financial resources from the child and be unfair to both parents.]]> Child Support 2026-04-16 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/how-does-custody-work-in-maryland-if-my-spouse-and-i-are-both-in-the-military https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/how-does-custody-work-in-maryland-if-my-spouse-and-i-are-both-in-the-military Normal custody can be challenging. Custody when both parents are training and possibly deploying is even more challenging. This isn’t an uncommon situation, either. Human Performance Resources by Champ, seven percent of active duty military members and 2.6 percent of guard and reserve members are in dual-military marriages.

An Ellicott City custody lawyer can help you work out a custody arrangement that makes sure your child’s needs are taken care of and accommodates your family’s unique scheduling needs.

How Does Maryland Make Decisions About Custody for Dual-Military Families?

Maryland courts approach military custody cases the same way they approach all custody cases: by looking at what is in the best interests of the child. Under Maryland Family Law § 9-201, courts now follow a codified list of factors when making custody decisions. One of those factors is the impact of military deployment on the parent-child relationship.]]> Child Custody 2026-03-17 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/how-is-child-custody-decided-in-maryland https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/how-is-child-custody-decided-in-maryland Family law matters involving child custody are often emotional, resulting in significant anxiety and uncertainty. You agonize over the wellbeing of your children. You hope that their mental health doesn’t suffer. You worry about how much time you will spend with them. You don’t want to miss out on things in their lives.

In 2026, Maryland child custody laws are focused on serving the best interest of the child when determining a custody arrangement. Every situation is different, and Courts look at a litany of factors in reaching a decision on child custody. The Court doesn’t favor either parent, meaning that no one assumes that either parent is more capable of having custody.

In this article, our Columbia child custody attorney will give you a solid background of how a Maryland Court makes a child custody decision.]]> Child Custody 2026-02-25 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/preparing-for-a-custody-fight-with-an-abusive-spouse https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/preparing-for-a-custody-fight-with-an-abusive-spouse Sometimes, an abusive parent will fight tooth and nail to keep their children in a divorce case. There can be all kinds of reasons: they may want to hurt the other parent by keeping the kids, they may have mental problems that are making them behave irrationally, or they may just want to feel like they have power and control.

If you are in this situation, an Elkridge custody attorney can help you with your case so that you feel confident and prepared for the difficult days ahead.

What Do I Need to Prove Abuse in a Maryland Custody Case?

Important evidence can include:]]> Domestic Violence 2026-02-16 00:00:00 https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/my-spouse-is-hiding-income-in-maryland-divorce https://www.dmfamilylaw.com/blog/my-spouse-is-hiding-income-in-maryland-divorce People going through a divorce don’t always tell the truth about their income. It’s amazing how it works. During the marriage, you and your spouse are doing great financially. During the divorce, however, your spouse is suddenly crying poor.

In a Maryland divorce case, both parties are required to truthfully disclose their income, and the numbers are closely analyzed. Actual income has a major impact on the amount of child support payable, whether and how much alimony is awarded, and how much each side will receive from the marital assets. Whether it is due to entitlement, financial insecurity, or spite, If your spouse is hiding income, then it can significantly affect the outcome of your divorce case.

But there are warning signs and actions you can take along with your divorce attorney to make sure you get the best result possible, even if your spouse is being shady with money. Your Columbia, MD divorce attorney can help you find them.]]> Divorce 2026-02-11 00:00:00