For a couple making a combined — and adjusted — $120,000 a year, the total financial payments required are $2,257 a month. That amount is proportioned between the two parents based on the percentage of their combined adjusted income. Thus, if one parent earns 75% of the joint adjusted income, then that parent will be assigned 75% of the child support financial obligations (or about $1,700 a month for the higher-earning parent). In general, the custodial parent “pays” their portion by providing food, clothing, shelter, and other day-to-day necessities for the child or children; the other parent transfers money payments.

In addition, based on the same proportions, other types of child support will also be required, such as payments for daycare, schooling, health insurance, etc. If you have questions about Maryland child support obligations, call Charles County Child Support Lawyers at the Law Office of Robert Castro. Call us at (301) 870-1200 or use our contact page. We are skilled and experienced Maryland family law and divorce lawyers with offices in Waldorf, Maryland. Below are additional details on how much child support parents should expect to pay.

In Maryland, child support obligations are based on the parents’ joint income. As noted, there are two forms of child support: “basic” child support (financial payments) and other forms of child support (like paying for daycare, schooling, health insurance, etc.). All of this combined child support is the obligation of both parents and, as noted, each parent pays in proportion to the share of their total income. Note that child support obligations are based on ADJUSTED income. That is, under the Maryland Family Law statutes, there are many adjustments made to each parent’s income before proportioning child support. For example, if one parent is awarded alimony, that amount is added to the receiving spouse’s income and deducted from the income of the paying spouse.

The basic child support obligation is based on the Maryland child support “Schedules” (often called the “Guidelines” or the “Grid”). These are provided by Statute. See Md. Fam. Law Code, § 12-204(e). The Schedules cross reference monthly adjusted income with the number of children. Thus, for the example used above, the adjusted income of $10,000 per month was located along the left edge, two children were assumed, and then, the relevant monthly child support obligation was found in the corresponding box on the grid: $2,257. Nearly all forms of income will be counted, including wages, salary, bonuses, self-employment income, benefits, royalties, etc. Deductions are also taken, including those for other child support or spousal support payments (for, say, a previous marriage), federal, state, and local income tax deductions, union dues, etc. Then adjustments are made based on the divorce proceedings (such as adjustments for alimony payments that are to be ordered).

As noted, the Maryland divorce court will also order other forms of child support for expenses like daycare, schooling, health insurance for the children, medical payments for children with extraordinary medical requirements, etc.

Finally, if the Maryland divorce court is awarding joint custody, another set of adjustments will be made based on how many days/nights each parent will have the child or children. This does not impact the total amount of child support but, rather, will impact the amount that one parent might be required to remit to the other.

Contact Waldorf, Maryland Family Law and Child Custody Lawyer Robert Castro Today

This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland family law and divorce lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Family Law lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD, 20601.