Child Support
The duty to support a child will not terminate with the end of a marriage. The law imposes a duty upon all parents to contribute to the financial support of their children.
In Maryland, we have ‘guidelines’ that govern the amount. By employing a formula that the legislature has set forth, the parties’ incomes and certain expenses are put onto a worksheet and then compared to a chart. That provides a gross amount that this family should be spending on child support. Each party’s share is then determined by the percent of the income that party earns.
For an examination of that formula, go to http://www.dhr.state.md.us/csea/worksheet.htm
Unfortunately, the guidelines have not been updated in years and the top income is $10,000 per month for the family. Since many families earn more than that, the certainty of the guidelines gives way to a judicial discretion. Other problems can arise when one party is self employed, earns bonuses or commissions, or has not filed tax returns.
