2019 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 (2019)

    (a)    (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)    (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)    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)    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)    Schedule of basic child support obligations:

Combined

Adjusted

Actual

Income

1

Child

2

Children

3

Children

4

Children

5

Children

6 or

More

Children 100–1200 $20 – $150 Per Month, Based

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 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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 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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)    The adjusted basic child support obligation shall be determined by multiplying the basic child support obligation by one and one–half.

    (g)    (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)    (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)    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)    (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)    (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)    (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)    (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.

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