Maryland child support guidelines
Maryland uses an income-shares guideline written into Family Law §§ 12-201 through 12-204 — support is based on both parents’ gross income. This page explains the rules and links the official CSA calculator; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the Maryland formula works
The statutory guideline works in steps:
- Combine both parents’ gross monthly incomes;
- Find the basic obligation on the schedule for that combined income and the number of children — a 2022 update expanded the schedule up to $30,000/month (from $15,000);
- Split it proportionally by each parent’s income share;
- Add health insurance, work-related childcare, and extraordinary medical costs.
The 25% shared-custody threshold, duration, and modification
Maryland’s key parenting-time line is 25% of overnights (92 nights a year): once the paying parent reaches it, the case uses the shared-physical-custody worksheet (Worksheet B), which multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5 to reflect two households’ duplicated costs and then credits the parenting time — so crossing 92 overnights can move a Maryland order meaningfully. Support ends at 18 (or high-school graduation / age 19, whichever comes first, if still enrolled), and an order can be modified on a material change in income or custody.
Use the official calculator
The Maryland Department of Human Services, Child Support Administration publishes the official calculator (linked above). Use it for an estimate; it does not reflect every deviation a court may allow. The court that issues your order has final authority.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed correct but can be adjusted in circumstances the law allows. For advice on your situation, consult a Maryland family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Maryland is set by Maryland’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official Maryland calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Maryland for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
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Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Maryland?
- Maryland uses an income-shares model under Family Law Article §§ 12-201 through 12-204. It combines both parents' gross monthly incomes, finds the basic obligation on the statutory schedule for the number of children, and each parent pays a proportional share of the total, plus their share of health insurance and childcare.
- What income does the Maryland schedule cover now?
- A 2022 update expanded the guideline schedule to cover combined monthly incomes up to $30,000 (previously $15,000). Above the top of the schedule the court sets the amount at its discretion using the statutory factors, so very high-income cases are handled case by case.
- When does shared custody change support in Maryland?
- Maryland uses the shared-physical-custody worksheet (Worksheet B) once the paying parent has at least 25% of the overnights (92 or more nights a year). Worksheet B multiplies the basic obligation by 1.5 to reflect the duplicated household costs, then credits parenting time — so crossing 92 overnights can noticeably change the number.
- Until what age is support paid, and when can it change?
- Support ends at 18, or continues until high-school graduation or age 19 (whichever comes first) if the child is still enrolled in secondary school. An order can be modified on a material change in circumstances — typically a substantial change in income or in the custody arrangement.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Maryland Child Support Administration calculator linked on this page. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.