Rockville Child Support
Rockville Child Support
Understanding Montgomery County rules for determining child support
Parents have a duty to provide financial support for their children. They need a place to live, food, clothing, medical care, and books. And those are just the minimal needs.
Bringing up a child in the state of Maryland can be a daunting challenge financially. According to a 2025 LendingTree analysis using national cost estimates adjusted for cost of living, Maryland is one of four states in the United States where parents can expect to spend more than $300,000 on costs related to child raising over the course of 18 years.
Because of these costs, Maryland law generally requires parents to share financial responsibility for their children through child support.
How can McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers help?
- Why Choose McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers for your child support case
- How is Maryland child support calculated?
- Can child support orders be changed?
- How are Maryland child support orders enforced?
- Frequently asked questions
- Types of cases we handle
- Contact a Rockville child support lawyer near you
Why choose McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers for your child support case
Maryland child support is meant to make sure that children receive consistent financial support from both parents, regardless of where the child lives most of the time. At McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers, our Rockville child support attorneys review the income and assets of the parents to determine what child support should be paid.
We examine tax returns, business records, court records, and other documents. If we find outside sources of revenue or differences in business valuations, then we make sure they are included in the records so that the family court can make a fair assessment of what is due.
Our Rockville child support attorneys help you:
- Understand the Maryland Child Support Guidelines (the “Guidelines”): How Maryland calculates support and what information you’ll need.
- Prepare your case: Gathering income documentation, childcare costs, health insurance information, and other relevant expenses.
- Present the strongest arguments in negotiations and court: We present a clear, accurate picture of your financial situation and your child’s needs.
- Plan for the long-term: Anticipating future changes like educational and medical needs, or changes in income.
Child support payments are often made through Maryland Child Support Services. Support amounts are usually expressed as a monthly obligation, and income withholding is handled per pay period as appropriate.
Whether you are seeking an initial child support order, need to modify an existing one, or are struggling with child support enforcement, our Rockville family law attorneys are ready to help you understand your rights and options under Maryland law.
How is Maryland child support calculated?
Maryland courts start with the Guidelines. The court’s goal is to ensure that your child’s financial needs are met in a way that is fair to both parents.
Core guideline factors
When determining child support, Maryland courts typically consider:
- Each parent’s income: Wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, and, in some cases, potential earning capacity.
- Work-related childcare expenses: Costs for daycare, after-school care, and other necessary childcare so you can work or attend school.
- Health insurance and medical expenses: Who will pay for your child’s health insurance, and any extraordinary or recurring uninsured medical costs?
- Custody and parenting time: Whether your case involves sole physical custody or shared physical custody, and how many nights the child spends with each parent.
- Other child-related expenses: These include educational costs, special needs, extracurricular activities, and transportation for visitation.
Possible reasons to deviate from the guidelines
In some cases, the court may decide that strict application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate. Examples of additional factors the court may consider include:
- Extraordinary medical or educational needs
- Very high or very low parental income
- Significant travel costs for visitation
- Agreed-upon arrangements between the parents that better serve the child’s interests
At McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers, we work with you to provide accurate financial information to the court and, when appropriate, argue for a deviation that better reflects your child’s real needs.
Maryland courts use gross income and allowable deductions in the Guidelines. A court may impute income if a parent voluntarily underreports income or chooses not to work. Child support officers prepare guideline calculations and recommendations for the court, such as:
- Determining how much income each parent has. This includes employee salaries, freelance income, business income, and investment income. Income also includes retirement benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, disability insurance, trust income, and other income sources.
- Determining how many children need support. This may include other children the parent has a legal duty to support.
- The Guidelines provide a formula for calculating presumptive support based on parents’ combined income and child-related expenses.
The amount of child support is based on the guideline calculation and each parent’s proportional share of the parents’ combined income, taking custody and parenting time into account. Under the Guidelines, support is calculated using both parents’ incomes, along with childcare expenses, health insurance costs, and the child’s custody schedule, with each parent responsible for a proportional share of the total support obligation.
Child support considers a few other factors, such as:
- The amount of alimony and child support a parent is already paying.
- Adjustments for health insurance premiums, childcare costs, and expenses for children with special needs or unique medical problems.
- Adjustments if both parents have shared physical custody.
Can child support orders be changed?
Child support generally lasts until age 18, or if the child is still enrolled in high school, until graduation or age 19, whichever occurs first. Maryland law allows modification of a child support order upon a material change in circumstances, and the Child Support Administration may review child support orders every three years upon request.
When can you seek a modification?
Maryland law allows you to seek to modify a child support order based on material changes in your circumstances. Examples of changed circumstances include:
- Significant income changes: Losing your job, facing a reduction in your work hours, experiencing a physical disability, or if either parent receives a substantial increase or decrease in income.
- Changes in custody or parenting time: If you change from sole to shared physical custody, or experience a major change in the number of overnight stays for your child.
- New or increased child-related expenses: New medical conditions, a requirement for physical or other therapy, a new special education requirement.
- Changes in your childcare or health insurance costs: When your child no longer needs daycare, or your insurance premiums change significantly.
How does the modification process work?
We will determine if any change in your circumstances will meet Maryland’s legal standard for modification. We will then prepare and file the necessary court documents, including updated financial statements and supporting evidence.
We will try to achieve child support modification through negotiation if possible. The family court will review any agreement to ensure it is in the child’s best interests and generally consistent with the guidelines.
If we cannot reach an agreement, then the family court will hold a hearing to decide if the amount of support should be changed and by how much.
Child support does not usually change retroactively before the date on which you file for modification. So, if your situation has changed, it is often better to act sooner rather than later.
How are Maryland child support orders enforced?
A child support order is a court order—when it is not followed, there are legal consequences. Our Rockville family lawyers bring court actions against parents who fail to pay support, in which we may request that the paying parent’s wages be garnished. In some cases, the family court may hold a non-paying parent in contempt and impose sanctions, including incarceration, which may end upon compliance or payment arrangements.
If you are not receiving court-ordered support, or if you have fallen behind and are facing enforcement actions, then you need to understand your options.
If you are not receiving child support
We can help you pursue enforcement through the Maryland family court system, which may include:
- Income withholding (wage garnishment): Having support automatically deducted from the paying parent’s paycheck.
- Contempt of court proceedings: Asking the court to find the non-paying parent in contempt, which can result in fines, payment plans, or even jail time in serious cases.
- Interception of tax refunds or other funds: Federal or state tax refunds and certain other payments may be intercepted to satisfy arrears.
- Liens and property actions: Placing liens on property or other assets to secure payment.
- License suspensions: In some cases, driver’s licenses or professional licenses may be suspended for serious, ongoing nonpayment.
If you are behind on child support
If you have fallen behind, ignoring the problem usually makes it worse. We can:
- Review your order and your current income to see if a modification is appropriate.
- Help you address any arrearage and negotiate payment arrangements.
- Represent you in contempt proceedings before the family court.
Frequently asked questions
How does a family court calculate child support?
A Maryland family court uses the Guidelines to consider each parent’s income, how many children you have, their health insurance costs, your childcare expenses, and the child’s custody schedule. The court will start with the guidelines, but it can vary from them based on special circumstances.
How does shared custody affect child support?
The guidelines include a specific formula for shared custody situations. Even in a shared physical custody arrangement, one parent may still pay child support. This is particularly true if there is a significant difference in your incomes, or if one parent pays more of the child’s expenses.
What happens if my ex-spouse refuses to pay child support?
If your ex-spouse will not comply with his or her child support obligation, then you can seek enforcement through the family court. The court may order wage garnishment, contempt proceedings, seizure of tax refunds, or other means of enforcement.
Can child support be changed if I lose my job?
A significant, involuntary loss of income can be grounds to request a modification. However, you must file with the court because support does not automatically adjust when your income changes. In making its decision, the family court will consider your efforts to find new employment and your overall financial situation.
How long does child support last in Maryland?
Child support generally continues until the child turns 18. If the child is enrolled in secondary school at 18, then support continues until high school graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. It may continue beyond age 19 for children with qualifying disabilities.
Is child support connected to visitation rights?
Child support and visitation (or parenting time) are legally separate issues. A parent cannot withhold visitation because support is unpaid, and a parent cannot stop paying support because they are being denied visitation. Both issues can be addressed in court, but one does not cancel the other.
Frequently asked questions
How does a family court calculate child support?
A Maryland family court uses the Guidelines to consider each parent’s income, how many children you have, their health insurance costs, your childcare expenses, and the child’s custody schedule. The court will start with the guidelines, but it can vary from them based on special circumstances.
How does shared custody affect child support?
The guidelines include a specific formula for shared custody situations. Even in a shared physical custody arrangement, one parent may still pay child support. This is particularly true if there is a significant difference in your incomes, or if one parent pays more of the child’s expenses.
What happens if my ex-spouse refuses to pay child support?
If your ex-spouse will not comply with his or her child support obligation, then you can seek enforcement through the family court. The court may order wage garnishment, contempt proceedings, seizure of tax refunds, or other means of enforcement.
Can child support be changed if I lose my job?
A significant, involuntary loss of income can be grounds to request a modification. However, you must file with the court because support does not automatically adjust when your income changes. In making its decision, the family court will consider your efforts to find new employment and your overall financial situation.
How long does child support last in Maryland?
Child support generally continues until the child turns 18. If the child is enrolled in secondary school at 18, then support continues until high school graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. It may continue beyond age 19 for children with qualifying disabilities.
Is child support connected to visitation rights?
Child support and visitation (or parenting time) are legally separate issues. A parent cannot withhold visitation because support is unpaid, and a parent cannot stop paying support because they are being denied visitation. Both issues can be addressed in court, but one does not cancel the other.
Types of cases we handle
Our Rockville divorce attorneys handle a variety of cases, including:
Do you have a Rockville child support lawyer near you
Yes. McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers is located at 98 Church Street, Suite 100, Rockville, MD, 20850.
Parents must pay child support to raise their children, even when they are no longer in a relationship with one another. The duty of support should not be bargained away. At McCabe Russell Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers, we fight for your child’s best interests and rights.
Contact a Rockville child support lawyer today
If you are facing a child support issue in Rockville or Montgomery County, you do not have to navigate it alone. Our Rockville child support lawyers proudly represent mothers and fathers who only want to protect their children. Please contact us to make an appointment.
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Rockville Office
199 E Montgomery Ave
Suite 100
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Phone: (443) 812-1435