2017 Maryland Code
Family Law
Title 12 - Child Support
Subtitle 2 - Child Support Guidelines
§ 12-204. Determination of child support obligation

Universal Citation: MD Fam L Code § 12-204 (2017)
  • (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 ยง 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.
Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. Maryland may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.