Maryland Child Support Guidelines
Child Support
A child support award is rooted in the Maryland Child Support Guidelines as determined by the legislature. Our attorneys are informed of the applicable law regarding the establishment, modification and enforcement of a child support award
CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES
Md. FAMILY LAW Code Ann. § 12-204 (2014)
§ 12-204. Determination of child support obligation
(a) Schedule to be used; division among parents; maintenance and alimony awards. –
(1) The basic child support obligation shall be determined in accordance with the schedule of basic child support obligations in subsection (e) of this section. The basic child support obligation shall be divided between the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes.
(2) (i) If one or both parents have made a request for alimony or maintenance in the proceeding in which a child support award is sought, the court shall decide the issue and amount of alimony or maintenance before determining the child support obligation under these guidelines.
(ii) If the court awards alimony or maintenance, the amount of alimony or maintenance awarded shall be considered actual income for the recipient of the alimony or maintenance and shall be subtracted from the income of the payor of the alimony or maintenance under § 12-201(c)(2) of this subtitle before the court determines the amount of a child support award.
(b) Voluntarily impoverished parent. –
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, if a parent is voluntarily impoverished, child support may be calculated based on a determination of potential income.
(2) A determination of potential income may not be made for a parent who:
(i) is unable to work because of a physical or mental disability; or
(ii) is caring for a child under the age of 2 years for whom the parents are jointly and severally responsible.
(c) Income between amounts in schedule. — If a combined adjusted actual income amount falls between amounts shown in the schedule, the basic child support amount shall be extrapolated to the next higher amount.
(d) Income above schedule levels. — If the combined adjusted actual income exceeds the highest level specified in the schedule in subsection (e) of this section, the court may use its discretion in setting the amount of child support.
(e) Basic child support obligation. — Schedule of basic child support obligations:
Combined
Adjusted 6 or
Actual 1 2 3 4 5 More
Income Child Children Children Children Children Children
100-120 $ 20 – $ 150 Per Month, Based
0
On Resources And Living
Expenses Of Obligor And Number
Of Children Due Support
1250 162 163 165 167 169 170
1300 195 197 199 202 204 206
1350 229 231 234 236 239 241
1400 262 265 268 271 274 277
1450 295 299 302 305 308 312
1500 310 330 334 338 341 345
1550 319 362 366 370 374 378
1600 327 394 398 402 407 411
1650 336 425 430 435 439 444
1700 344 457 462 467 472 477
1750 353 488 494 499 505 510
1800 361 520 526 532 537 543
1850 370 537 558 564 570 576
1900 378 550 590 596 603 609
1950 387 562 622 629 635 642
2000 395 574 654 661 668 675
2050 403 586 686 693 701 708
2100 412 598 706 726 733 741
2150 420 610 720 758 766 774
2200 428 622 734 790 799 807
2250 437 634 748 823 831 840
2300 445 646 761 851 864 873
2350 453 657 775 866 897 906
2400 462 669 789 882 930 939
2450 470 681 803 897 962 972
2500 478 693 817 913 995 1005
2550 486 705 831 928 1021 1039
2600 495 717 845 944 1038 1072
2650 503 729 859 959 1055 1105
2700 511 741 873 975 1072 1138
2750 520 753 886 990 1089 1171
2800 528 764 900 1006 1106 1202
2850 536 776 914 1021 1123 1221
2900 544 788 928 1037 1140 1240
2950 553 800 942 1052 1157 1258
3000 561 812 956 1068 1175 1277
3050 570 825 971 1084 1193 1297
3100 578 837 985 1101 1211 1316
3150 587 849 1000 1117 1229 1335
3200 595 861 1014 1133 1246 1355
3250 603 874 1029 1149 1264 1374
3300 612 886 1044 1166 1282 1394
3350 620 898 1058 1182 1300 1413
3400 629 911 1073 1198 1318 1433
3450 636 922 1086 1213 1334 1450
3500 644 932 1098 1227 1349 1467
3550 651 943 1111 1241 1365 1483
3600 658 953 1123 1255 1380 1500
3650 665 964 1136 1268 1395 1517
3700 673 974 1148 1282 1411 1533
3750 680 985 1160 1296 1426 1550
3800 687 995 1173 1310 1441 1567
3850 694 1006 1185 1324 1457 1583
3900 702 1016 1198 1338 1472 1600
3950 709 1027 1210 1352 1487 1617
4000 716 1037 1223 1366 1502 1633
4050 723 1048 1235 1379 1517 1649
4100 730 1057 1245 1391 1530 1663
4150 737 1067 1256 1403 1544 1678
4200 744 1076 1267 1416 1557 1693
4250 750 1086 1278 1428 1571 1707
4300 757 1095 1289 1440 1584 1722
4350 764 1105 1300 1452 1597 1736
4400 771 1114 1311 1464 1611 1751
4450 777 1124 1322 1477 1624 1766
4500 784 1133 1333 1489 1638 1780
4550 791 1143 1344 1501 1651 1795
4600 798 1152 1355 1513 1664 1809
4650 804 1162 1366 1525 1678 1824
4700 811 1172 1376 1538 1691 1838
4750 818 1181 1387 1550 1705 1853
4800 825 1191 1398 1562 1718 1868
4850 832 1200 1409 1574 1732 1882
4900 838 1210 1420 1586 1745 1897
4950 845 1219 1431 1599 1758 1911
5000 852 1229 1442 1611 1772 1926
5050 859 1238 1453 1623 1785 1940
5100 865 1248 1464 1635 1799 1955
5150 872 1257 1475 1647 1812 1970
5200 878 1266 1485 1659 1825 1983
5250 885 1275 1495 1670 1837 1997
5300 891 1284 1505 1681 1850 2011
5350 897 1292 1515 1693 1862 2024
5400 903 1301 1526 1704 1875 2038
5450 909 1310 1536 1715 1887 2051
5500 915 1319 1546 1727 1899 2065
5550 921 1327 1556 1738 1912 2078
5600 927 1336 1566 1749 1924 2092
5650 934 1345 1576 1761 1937 2105
5700 940 1354 1586 1772 1949 2119
5750 946 1362 1597 1783 1962 2132
5800 952 1371 1607 1795 1974 2146
5850 958 1380 1617 1806 1987 2160
5900 964 1388 1627 1817 1999 2173
5950 970 1397 1637 1829 2012 2187
6000 976 1406 1647 1840 2024 2200
6050 983 1415 1658 1851 2037 2214
6100 989 1423 1668 1863 2049 2227
6150 995 1432 1678 1874 2062 2241
6200 1001 1441 1688 1885 2074 2254
6250 1007 1450 1698 1897 2086 2268
6300 1013 1458 1708 1907 2098 2281
6350 1016 1462 1713 1913 2104 2287
6400 1020 1467 1717 1918 2110 2294
6450 1023 1471 1722 1924 2116 2300
6500 1026 1476 1727 1929 2122 2307
6550 1030 1480 1732 1935 2128 2313
6600 1033 1485 1737 1940 2134 2320
6650 1037 1489 1742 1945 2140 2326
6700 1040 1494 1747 1951 2146 2333
6750 1043 1498 1751 1956 2152 2339
6800 1047 1503 1756 1962 2158 2346
6850 1050 1507 1761 1967 2164 2352
6900 1053 1512 1766 1973 2170 2359
6950 1057 1517 1771 1978 2176 2365
7000 1060 1521 1776 1983 2182 2372
7050 1064 1526 1781 1989 2188 2378
7100 1067 1530 1785 1994 2194 2385
7150 1070 1535 1790 2000 2200 2391
7200 1074 1539 1795 2005 2206 2397
7250 1077 1544 1800 2010 2211 2404
7300 1080 1548 1804 2016 2217 2410
7350 1084 1552 1809 2021 2223 2416
7400 1087 1556 1814 2026 2228 2422
7450 1090 1560 1818 2031 2234 2428
7500 1092 1563 1820 2033 2237 2431
7550 1094 1565 1823 2036 2240 2435
7600 1096 1568 1826 2039 2243 2438
7650 1097 1570 1828 2042 2247 2442
7700 1099 1573 1831 2045 2250 2445
7750 1101 1575 1834 2048 2253 2449
7800 1103 1578 1836 2051 2256 2453
7850 1105 1580 1839 2054 2259 2456
7900 1107 1583 1842 2057 2263 2460
7950 1109 1586 1844 2060 2266 2463
8000 1111 1588 1847 2063 2269 2467
8050 1113 1591 1849 2066 2272 2470
8100 1115 1593 1852 2069 2276 2474
8150 1117 1596 1855 2072 2279 2477
8200 1119 1598 1857 2075 2282 2481
8250 1121 1601 1860 2078 2285 2484
8300 1123 1603 1863 2081 2289 2488
8350 1125 1606 1865 2084 2292 2491
8400 1127 1609 1868 2087 2296 2495
8450 1129 1612 1871 2090 2299 2499
8500 1132 1614 1874 2093 2303 2503
8550 1134 1617 1877 2097 2306 2507
8600 1136 1620 1880 2100 2310 2511
8650 1141 1628 1889 2110 2321 2523
8700 1147 1636 1898 2120 2332 2535
8750 1153 1644 1908 2131 2344 2548
8800 1159 1652 1917 2141 2355 2560
8850 1164 1660 1926 2151 2367 2572
8900 1170 1668 1935 2162 2378 2585
8950 1176 1676 1945 2172 2389 2597
9000 1181 1684 1954 2182 2401 2609
9050 1187 1692 1963 2193 2412 2622
9100 1193 1700 1972 2203 2423 2634
9150 1199 1708 1982 2213 2435 2647
9200 1204 1716 1991 2224 2446 2659
9250 1210 1724 2000 2234 2457 2671
9300 1216 1732 2009 2244 2469 2684
9350 1220 1739 2017 2253 2478 2694
9400 1224 1744 2023 2260 2486 2702
9450 1228 1750 2030 2267 2494 2711
9500 1232 1756 2036 2275 2502 2720
9550 1236 1761 2043 2282 2510 2728
9600 1240 1767 2049 2289 2518 2737
9650 1244 1772 2056 2296 2526 2746
9700 1248 1778 2062 2304 2534 2754
9750 1252 1784 2069 2311 2542 2763
9800 1255 1789 2075 2318 2550 2772
9850 1259 1795 2082 2325 2558 2780
9900 1263 1800 2088 2333 2566 2789
9950 1267 1806 2095 2340 2574 2798
10000 1271 1811 2101 2347 2582 2806
10050 1301 1836 2126 2372 2607 2831
10100 1308 1861 2151 2397 2632 2856
10150 1314 1886 2176 2422 2657 2881
10200 1321 1911 2201 2447 2682 2906
10250 1327 1936 2226 2472 2707 2931
10300 1334 1955 2251 2497 2732 2956
10350 1340 1965 2276 2522 2757 2981
10400 1347 1974 2301 2547 2782 3006
10450 1353 1984 2326 2572 2807 3031
10500 1359 1993 2351 2597 2832 3056
10550 1366 2003 2376 2622 2857 3081
10600 1372 2012 2388 2647 2882 3106
10650 1379 2022 2399 2672 2907 3131
10700 1385 2031 2410 2697 2932 3156
10750 1392 2041 2422 2712 2957 3181
10800 1398 2050 2433 2725 2982 3206
10850 1405 2060 2444 2737 3007 3231
10900 1411 2069 2455 2750 3032 3256
10950 1418 2079 2467 2762 3056 3281
11000 1424 2088 2478 2775 3070 3306
11050 1431 2097 2489 2788 3083 3331
11100 1437 2107 2501 2800 3097 3356
11150 1444 2116 2512 2813 3111 3381
11200 1450 2126 2523 2825 3125 3406
11250 1457 2135 2534 2838 3139 3427
11300 1463 2145 2546 2851 3153 3442
11350 1470 2154 2557 2863 3167 3457
11400 1476 2164 2568 2876 3181 3472
11450 1482 2173 2579 2889 3195 3488
11500 1489 2183 2591 2901 3209 3503
11550 1495 2192 2602 2914 3223 3518
11600 1502 2202 2613 2926 3237 3533
11650 1508 2211 2624 2939 3251 3548
11700 1515 2221 2636 2952 3265 3564
11750 1521 2230 2647 2964 3279 3579
11800 1528 2240 2658 2977 3293 3594
11850 1534 2249 2669 2989 3307 3609
11900 1541 2259 2681 3002 3321 3625
11950 1547 2268 2692 3015 3335 3640
12000 1554 2278 2703 3027 3349 3655
12050 1560 2287 2715 3040 3363 3670
12100 1567 2297 2726 3053 3376 3685
12150 1573 2306 2737 3065 3390 3701
12200 1580 2316 2748 3078 3404 3716
12250 1586 2325 2760 3090 3418 3731
12300 1593 2335 2771 3103 3432 3746
12350 1599 2344 2782 3116 3446 3762
12400 1605 2354 2793 3128 3460 3777
12450 1612 2363 2805 3141 3474 3792
12500 1618 2373 2816 3153 3488 3807
12550 1625 2382 2827 3166 3502 3823
12600 1631 2392 2838 3179 3516 3838
12650 1638 2401 2850 3191 3530 3853
12700 1644 2411 2861 3204 3544 3868
12750 1651 2420 2872 3217 3558 3883
12800 1657 2430 2883 3229 3572 3899
12850 1664 2439 2895 3242 3586 3914
12900 1670 2449 2906 3254 3600 3929
12950 1677 2458 2917 3267 3614 3944
13000 1683 2468 2929 3280 3628 3960
13050 1690 2477 2940 3292 3642 3975
13100 1696 2487 2951 3305 3655 3990
13150 1703 2496 2962 3317 3669 4005
13200 1709 2506 2974 3330 3683 4021
13250 1716 2515 2985 3343 3697 4036
13300 1722 2525 2996 3355 3711 4051
13350 1728 2534 3007 3368 3725 4066
13400 1735 2544 3019 3380 3739 4081
13450 1741 2553 3030 3393 3753 4097
13500 1748 2563 3041 3406 3767 4112
13550 1754 2572 3052 3418 3781 4127
13600 1761 2582 3064 3431 3795 4142
13650 1767 2591 3075 3444 3809 4158
13700 1774 2601 3086 3456 3823 4173
13750 1780 2610 3098 3469 3837 4188
13800 1787 2619 3109 3481 3851 4203
13850 1793 2629 3120 3494 3865 4219
13900 1800 2638 3131 3507 3879 4234
13950 1806 2648 3143 3519 3893 4249
14000 1813 2657 3154 3532 3907 4264
14050 1819 2667 3165 3544 3921 4279
14100 1826 2676 3176 3557 3935 4295
14150 1832 2686 3188 3570 3948 4310
14200 1839 2695 3199 3582 3962 4325
14250 1845 2705 3210 3595 3976 4340
14300 1851 2714 3221 3608 3990 4356
14350 1858 2724 3233 3620 4004 4371
14400 1864 2733 3244 3633 4018 4386
14450 1871 2743 3255 3645 4032 4401
14500 1877 2752 3266 3658 4046 4416
14550 1884 2762 3278 3671 4060 4432
14600 1890 2771 3289 3683 4074 4447
14650 1897 2781 3300 3696 4088 4462
14700 1903 2790 3312 3708 4102 4477
14750 1910 2800 3323 3721 4116 4493
14800 1916 2809 3334 3734 4130 4508
14850 1923 2819 3345 3746 4144 4523
14900 1929 2828 3357 3759 4158 4538
14950 1936 2838 3368 3772 4172 4554
15000 1942 2847 3379 3784 4186 4569
(f) Adjusted basic child support obligation. — The adjusted basic child support obligation shall be determined by multiplying the basic child support obligation by one and one-half.
(g) Child care expenses. –
(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, actual child care expenses incurred on behalf of a child due to employment or job search of either parent shall be added to the basic obligation and shall be divided between the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes.
(2) Child care expenses shall be:
(i) determined by actual family experience, unless the court determines that the actual family experience is not in the best interest of the child; or
(ii) if there is no actual family experience or if the court determines that actual family experience is not in the best interest of the child:
1. the level required to provide quality care from a licensed source; or
2. if the obligee chooses quality child care with an actual cost of an amount less than the level required to provide quality care from a licensed source, the actual cost of the child care expense.
(3) Additional child care expenses may be considered if a child has special needs.
(h) Extraordinary medical expenses. –
(1) Any actual cost of providing health insurance coverage for a child for whom the parents are jointly and severally responsible shall be added to the basic child support obligation and shall be divided by the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes.
(2) Any extraordinary medical expenses incurred on behalf of a child shall be added to the basic child support obligation and shall be divided between the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes.
(i) School and transportation expenses. — By agreement of the parties or by order of court, the following expenses incurred on behalf of a child may be divided between the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes:
(1) any expenses for attending a special or private elementary or secondary school to meet the particular educational needs of the child; or
(2) any expenses for transportation of the child between the homes of the parents.
(j) Setoff for third party payments. –
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, when a disability dependency benefit, a retirement dependency benefit, or other third party dependency benefit is paid to or for a child of an obligor who is disabled, retired, or is receiving benefits from any source as a result of a compensable claim, the amount of the compensation shall be set off against the child support obligation calculated using the guidelines.
(2) (i) If the amount paid to or for a child exceeds the current child support obligation calculated using the guidelines, the excess payment shall be credited to any existing child support arrearage that accrued after the effective date the benefits were awarded.
(ii) The excess payment may not be credited to any future child support obligation.
(k) Use, possession or occupancy of family home. –
(1) Upon the expiration of a use and possession order or the expiration of the right to occupy the family home under a separation or property settlement agreement and upon motion of either party, the court shall review the child support award.
(2) If the allocation of financial responsibility for the family home was a factor in departing from the guidelines under subsection (a) of this section, the court may modify the child support, if appropriate in all the circumstances, upon the expiration of the use and possession order or the expiration of the right to occupy the family home under a separation or property settlement agreement.
(l) Cases other than shared physical custody cases. –
(1) Except in cases of shared physical custody, each parent’s child support obligation shall be determined by adding each parent’s respective share of the basic child support obligation, work-related child care expenses, health insurance expenses, extraordinary medical expenses, and additional expenses under subsection (i) of this section.
(2) The obligee shall be presumed to spend that parent’s total child support obligation directly on the child or children.
(3) The obligor shall owe that parent’s total child support obligation as child support to the obligee minus any ordered payments included in the calculations made directly by the obligor on behalf of the child or children for work-related child care expenses, health insurance expenses, extraordinary medical expenses, or additional expenses under subsection (i) of this section.
(m) Shared physical custody cases. –
(1) In cases of shared physical custody, the adjusted basic child support obligation shall first be divided between the parents in proportion to their respective adjusted actual incomes.
(2) Each parent’s share of the adjusted basic child support obligation shall then be multiplied by the percentage of time the child or children spend with the other parent to determine the theoretical basic child support obligation owed to the other parent.
(3) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection, the parent owing the greater amount under paragraph (2) of this subsection shall owe the difference in the 2 amounts as child support.
(4) In addition to the amount of the child support owed under paragraph (3) of this subsection, if either parent incurs child care expenses under subsection (g) of this section, health insurance expenses under subsection (h)(1) of this section, extraordinary medical expenses under subsection (h)(2) of this section, or additional expenses under subsection (i) of this section, the expense shall be divided between the parents in proportion to their respective adjusted actual incomes. The parent not incurring the expense shall pay that parent’s proportionate share to:
(i) the parent making direct payments to the provider of the service; or
(ii) the provider directly, if a court order requires direct payments to the provider.
(5) The amount owed under paragraph (3) of this subsection may not exceed the amount that would be owed under subsection (l) of this section.