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State Guide · Maryland
Child Support in Maryland: How It's Calculated, Modified & Enforced
A plain-English guide to Maryland child support — the guideline model, how the number is computed, the modification and enforcement process, and where to find the official worksheet.
Direct answer
Broadly: wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, pensions, annuities, interest, dividends, trust income, Social Security, workers\' compensation, unemployment, disability, and alimony received. Means-tested public assistance (TANF, SSI, SNAP) is excluded.
Maryland uses the Income Shares model on both parents' combined gross ('actual') income. The Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations (Family Law Code § 12-204) sets the base amount, which is split by each parent's share of income; health insurance, work-related childcare, and extraordinary medical costs are added and divided the same way. The schedule covers combined monthly income up to $30,000 (about $360,000/year); above that the court sets the amount. Worksheet A is used for primary custody and Worksheet B for shared physical custody.
Open the Maryland child support calculator to see your own number under the current guideline: Maryland calculator.
How a support order is established in Maryland
Open a case through the local Child Support Administration (CSA) office or the court; for unmarried parents, establish parentage first (Affidavit of Parentage or genetic testing).
Both parents provide financial information (income, taxes, support paid for other children, childcare, and insurance costs).
Complete the appropriate guidelines worksheet — Worksheet A (primary custody) or Worksheet B (shared physical custody) — using the § 12-204 schedule, or use the online calculator.
The CSA or court reviews the presumptive amount. The guideline amount carries a rebuttable presumption; a judge may deviate only with written findings under § 12-202.
The court enters the order, typically with income withholding to collect payments automatically.
To modify: request a review/modification through the Child Support Administration or file with the court; show a material change (e.g., income or custody change) or that the guideline result is unjust.
Worked examples
Illustrative example — one child, combined $10,000/month — Parent A (non-custodial) earns $6,000/month; Parent B (custodial) earns $4,000/month. One child. Combined actual monthly income is $10,000. Under Fam. Law § 12-204, the base obligation for one child at $10,000 combined monthly income is $1,345. Split by income: Parent A (60%) owes $807; Parent B (40%) owes $538. Health insurance and work-related childcare are added on top and divided by the same percentages. Parent A pays $807 plus their share of add-ons to Parent B. The guideline base is split by each parent\'s share of combined income; the higher earner pays the larger portion even when the other parent has primary custody.
Illustrative example — shared physical custody (Worksheet B) — Parents earn similarly and each has the child a substantial share of overnights, qualifying as shared physical custody. Worksheet B adjusts the obligation to reflect each parent\'s direct spending during their parenting time. The base is still looked up on the § 12-204 schedule and split by income, but the shared-custody formula reduces the cash transfer between households compared with Worksheet A. More equal parenting time lowers the amount one parent pays the other, because each household already covers day-to-day costs directly.
Modifying or enforcing an order
Orders in Maryland can be modified when there is a substantial change in income, custody, or circumstances. Use the modification eligibility check and the cross-state comparison tool to see how a move would change the outcome. Enforcement runs through the state agency and can include income withholding and contempt proceedings.
Official sources
Maryland Child Support Administration (DHS) — https://dhs.maryland.gov/child-support-services/
Maryland Child Support Guidelines (Judiciary publication) — https://www.courts.state.md.us/sites/default/files/import/family/publications/cs3.pdf
What counts as \'actual income\'?
Broadly: wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, pensions, annuities, interest, dividends, trust income, Social Security, workers\' compensation, unemployment, disability, and alimony received. Means-tested public assistance (TANF, SSI, SNAP) is excluded.
Is there an income cap?
The § 12-204 schedule applies up to $30,000 combined monthly income (about $360,000/year). Above that, the court sets support in its discretion.
Can the court depart from the guidelines?
Yes, but only with a written finding that applying the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate (§ 12-202), such as an existing property-settlement agreement or the payor falling below 110% of the federal poverty level.
Does Maryland order college support?
Generally child support ends at age 18 (or when the child graduates high school if still enrolled). The court may consider agreements or special circumstances but there is no broad statutory college-support mandate.
How are payments made and enforced?
Payments are usually collected via income withholding and sent to the custodial parent (or kept by the state if the family receives TCA). Enforcement tools include license suspension, tax-refund interception, and liens.
Maryland child support calculator
Estimate for Maryland
Maryland uses the Income Shares model.
Enter the paying parent’s gross (pre-tax) monthly income.
Maryland Child Support Worksheet — Planning Estimate
Generated September 22, 2026 · Model: Income Shares · Income basis: gross · Statute: Md. Code Fam. Law § 12-204
This is an informal planning estimate, not a court worksheet and not legal advice. Confirm the current guideline with the state child-support agency or a licensed family-law attorney.
Estimated monthly support$1,006.11per month
Official schedule: Md. Code, Family Law § 12-204(e), Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligation (current, amended effective 10/1/2024). Income basis = Combined Adjusted Actual Income (net of preexisting support, alimony paid, and child's health insurance). (2024)
Annual estimate$12,073.32
Effective rate20.1%
MethodIncome Shares: combined income → official Maryland schedule → split by income share (+ add-ons, parenting-time credit)
View calculation breakdown
Combined parental income
$9,000
Total basic obligation (schedule)
$1,811
Obligor income share
55.6%
Obligor basic obligation
$1,006
Estimated monthly support
$1,006
How the basic obligation splits between parents
56%
44%
Paying parent: $1,006 Other parent: $805
Each parent pays their proportional share of the combined basic obligation.
Estimated monthly support by number of children
At the incomes you entered, for 2 children.
This article is general education, not legal or tax advice. For your exact number, open your state calculator.
Not legal or financial advice. This estimate follows the state’s statutory guideline formula but cannot capture every factor a court considers (health insurance, childcare, prior orders, deviations, imputed income).
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