Section 12-204 - Determination of child support obligation, Md. Code, Fam. Law § 12-204 (2024)

(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)
(I) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, if a parent is voluntarily impoverished, child support may be calculated based on a determination of potential income.
(II) a parent who is incarcerated may not be considered to be voluntarily impoverished.
(2) If there is a dispute as to whether a parent is voluntarily impoverished, the court shall:
(i) make a finding as to whether, based on the totality of the circumstances, the parent is voluntarily impoverished; and
(ii) if the court finds that the parent is voluntarily impoverished, consider the factors specified in § 12-201(m) of this subtitle in determining the amount of potential income that should be imputed to the parent.
(3) A determination of potential income may not be made for a parent who IS:
(i) unable to work because of a physical or mental disability;
(ii) caring for a child under the age of 2 years for whom the parents are jointly and severally responsible; OR
(III) incarcerated.
(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. An asterisk (*) indicates a child support obligation adjusted by the self-support reserve.

Combined Adjusted Actual Income

1 Child

2 Children

3 Children

4 Children

5 Children

6 or More Children

0-1200

*50

*55

*57

*58

*59

*60

1250

*74

*79

*81

*82

*83

*84

1300

*109

*116

*119

*121

*122

*124

1350

*144

*154

*158

*160

*162

*164

1400

*179

*191

*196

*199

*201

*204

1450

*214

*229

*235

*238

*241

*244

1500

*249

*266

*273

*277

*280

*284

1550

*284

*304

*312

*316

*320

*324

1600

*319

*341

*350

*355

*359

*364

1650

339

*379

*389

*394

*399

*404

1700

348

*416

*427

*433

*438

*444

1750

357

*454

*466

*472

*478

*484

1800

367

*491

*504

*511

*517

*524

1850

376

*529

*543

*550

*557

*564

1900

385

565

*581

*589

*596

*604

1950

394

578

*620

*628

*636

*644

2000

403

591

*658

*667

*675

*684

2050

412

604

*697

*706

*715

*724

2100

421

617

*735

*745

*754

*764

2150

430

631

762

*784

*794

*804

2200

439

644

778

*823

*833

*844

2250

448

657

794

*862

*873

*884

2300

457

670

810

*901

*912

*924

2350

466

684

826

923

*952

*964

2400

475

697

842

941

*991

*1004

2450

484

710

858

958

*1031

*1044

2500

493

723

874

976

*1070

*1084

2550

502

736

890

994

1094

*1124

2600

511

750

906

1012

1113

*1164

2650

520

763

922

1030

1133

*1204

2700

529

776

938

1048

1152

*1244

2750

538

789

954

1066

1172

1274

2800

547

803

970

1083

1192

1295

2850

556

816

986

1101

1211

1317

2900

565

829

1002

1119

1231

1338

2950

574

842

1018

1137

1251

1359

3000

583

856

1034

1155

1270

1381

3050

592

869

1050

1173

1290

1402

3100

601

882

1066

1190

1310

1423

3150

610

895

1082

1208

1329

1445

3200

619

908

1098

1226

1349

1466

3250

628

922

1114

1244

1368

1487

3300

637

935

1130

1262

1388

1509

3350

646

948

1146

1280

1408

1530

3400

655

961

1162

1298

1427

1552

3450

664

975

1178

1315

1447

1573

3500

673

988

1194

1333

1467

1594

3550

682

1001

1210

1351

1486

1616

3600

691

1014

1226

1369

1506

1637

3650

700

1027

1242

1387

1526

1658

3700

709

1041

1258

1405

1545

1680

3750

718

1054

1274

1423

1565

1701

3800

727

1067

1290

1440

1584

1722

3850

736

1080

1306

1458

1604

1744

3900

745

1094

1321

1476

1624

1765

3950

754

1107

1337

1494

1643

1786

4000

763

1120

1353

1512

1663

1808

4050

772

1133

1369

1530

1683

1829

4100

781

1146

1385

1548

1702

1850

4150

790

1160

1401

1565

1722

1872

4200

799

1173

1417

1583

1742

1893

4250

808

1185

1432

1600

1760

1913

4300

815

1197

1446

1615

1777

1931

4350

823

1208

1460

1631

1794

1950

4400

831

1219

1474

1646

1811

1968

4450

839

1231

1487

1661

1828

1987

4500

846

1242

1501

1677

1844

2005

4550

854

1254

1515

1692

1861

2023

4600

862

1265

1529

1708

1878

2042

4650

870

1276

1542

1723

1895

2060

4700

877

1288

1556

1738

1912

2079

4750

885

1299

1570

1754

1929

2097

4800

893

1311

1584

1769

1946

2115

4850

901

1322

1598

1785

1963

2134

4900

909

1334

1611

1800

1980

2152

4950

916

1345

1625

1815

1997

2171

5000

924

1356

1639

1831

2014

2189

5050

932

1368

1653

1846

2031

2207

5100

940

1379

1667

1862

2048

2226

5150

947

1391

1680

1877

2065

2244

5200

955

1402

1694

1892

2082

2263

5250

963

1413

1708

1908

2098

2281

5300

971

1425

1722

1923

2115

2299

5350

978

1436

1735

1938

2132

2318

5400

984

1444

1744

1948

2143

2329

5450

987

1446

1746

1950

2145

2332

5500

990

1449

1748

1953

2148

2335

5550

993

1452

1751

1956

2151

2338

5600

996

1455

1753

1958

2154

2341

5650

999

1457

1755

1961

2157

2344

5700

1002

1460

1758

1963

2160

2347

5750

1006

1463

1760

1966

2162

2351

5800

1009

1466

1762

1968

2165

2354

5850

1012

1468

1765

1971

2168

2357

5900

1015

1471

1767

1974

2171

2360

5950

1018

1474

1769

1976

2174

2363

6000

1021

1477

1771

1979

2176

2366

6050

1024

1480

1774

1982

2180

2370

6100

1028

1485

1780

1988

2187

2378

6150

1032

1490

1786

1995

2195

2386

6200

1036

1495

1792

2002

2202

2394

6250

1040

1500

1798

2008

2209

2401

6300

1045

1505

1804

2015

2217

2409

6350

1049

1510

1810

2022

2224

2417

6400

1053

1515

1816

2028

2231

2425

6450

1057

1521

1822

2035

2238

2433

6500

1061

1526

1828

2042

2246

2441

6550

1065

1531

1834

2048

2253

2449

6600

1069

1536

1840

2055

2260

2457

6650

1073

1541

1846

2062

2268

2465

6700

1077

1546

1852

2068

2275

2473

6750

1083

1554

1861

2079

2287

2486

6800

1090

1563

1872

2091

2300

2500

6850

1096

1571

1882

2102

2312

2513

6900

1103

1580

1892

2114

2325

2527

6950

1110

1588

1903

2125

2338

2541

7000

1116

1597

1913

2137

2350

2555

7050

1123

1605

1923

2148

2363

2569

7100

1129

1614

1934

2160

2376

2582

7150

1136

1622

1944

2171

2388

2596

7200

1142

1631

1954

2183

2401

2610

7250

1149

1639

1965

2194

2414

2624

7300

1156

1648

1975

2206

2427

2638

7350

1162

1656

1985

2217

2439

2651

7400

1168

1664

1994

2228

2450

2664

7450

1172

1671

2002

2237

2460

2674

7500

1177

1678

2010

2246

2470

2685

7550

1181

1685

2018

2255

2480

2696

7600

1186

1692

2027

2264

2490

2707

7650

1190

1699

2035

2273

2500

2717

7700

1195

1706

2043

2282

2510

2728

7750

1199

1714

2051

2291

2520

2739

7800

1204

1721

2059

2300

2530

2750

7850

1208

1728

2067

2309

2539

2760

7900

1213

1735

2075

2317

2549

2771

7950

1217

1742

2082

2326

2559

2781

8000

1221

1748

2090

2335

2568

2792

8050

1226

1755

2098

2343

2577

2801

8100

1228

1757

2100

2346

2581

2805

8150

1230

1759

2103

2349

2584

2809

8200

1233

1762

2106

2352

2587

2812

8250

1235

1764

2108

2355

2591

2816

8300

1237

1766

2111

2358

2594

2820

8350

1240

1768

2114

2361

2597

2823

8400

1242

1771

2117

2364

2601

2827

8450

1244

1773

2119

2367

2604

2831

8500

1247

1775

2122

2370

2607

2834

8550

1249

1777

2125

2373

2611

2838

8600

1251

1780

2127

2376

2614

2841

8650

1254

1782

2130

2379

2617

2845

8700

1256

1784

2133

2382

2621

2849

8750

1259

1787

2137

2386

2625

2854

8800

1263

1792

2142

2392

2632

2860

8850

1267

1797

2147

2398

2638

2867

8900

1270

1801

2152

2404

2644

2874

8950

1274

1806

2157

2410

2651

2881

9000

1278

1811

2162

2415

2657

2888

9050

1282

1816

2168

2421

2663

2895

9100

1286

1820

2173

2427

2670

2902

9150

1290

1825

2178

2433

2676

2909

9200

1294

1830

2183

2439

2682

2916

9250

1298

1834

2188

2444

2689

2923

9300

1301

1839

2194

2450

2695

2930

9350

1305

1844

2199

2456

2702

2937

9400

1309

1848

2204

2462

2708

2944

9450

1312

1852

2209

2467

2714

2950

9500

1315

1855

2213

2472

2719

2956

9550

1318

1857

2217

2477

2725

2962

9600

1321

1860

2222

2482

2730

2967

9650

1324

1862

2226

2487

2735

2973

9700

1327

1865

2231

2492

2741

2979

9750

1330

1868

2235

2496

2746

2985

9800

1333

1870

2239

2501

2752

2991

9850

1336

1873

2244

2506

2757

2997

9900

1339

1875

2248

2511

2762

3003

9950

1342

1878

2253

2516

2768

3008

10000

1345

1881

2257

2521

2773

3014

10050

1353

1892

2269

2534

2788

3030

10100

1361

1903

2281

2548

2802

3046

10150

1369

1915

2293

2561

2817

3062

10200

1377

1926

2305

2574

2832

3078

10250

1385

1937

2317

2588

2847

3094

10300

1393

1949

2329

2601

2861

3110

10350

1402

1960

2341

2615

2876

3126

10400

1410

1971

2353

2628

2891

3142

10450

1418

1983

2365

2641

2905

3158

10500

1426

1994

2377

2655

2920

3174

10550

1434

2005

2389

2668

2935

3190

10600

1442

2017

2401

2681

2950

3206

10650

1451

2028

2413

2695

2964

3222

10700

1459

2040

2424

2708

2979

3238

10750

1467

2051

2436

2722

2994

3254

10800

1475

2062

2448

2735

3008

3270

10850

1483

2074

2460

2748

3023

3286

10900

1491

2085

2472

2762

3038

3302

10950

1499

2096

2484

2775

3053

3318

11000

1508

2108

2496

2788

3067

3334

11050

1516

2119

2508

2802

3082

3350

11100

1524

2130

2520

2815

3097

3366

11150

1532

2142

2532

2828

3111

3382

11200

1540

2153

2544

2842

3126

3398

11250

1548

2164

2556

2855

3141

3414

11300

1556

2176

2568

2869

3155

3430

11350

1565

2187

2580

2882

3170

3446

11400

1573

2198

2592

2895

3185

3462

11450

1581

2210

2604

2909

3200

3478

11500

1589

2221

2616

2922

3214

3494

11550

1597

2232

2628

2935

3229

3510

11600

1605

2244

2640

2949

3244

3526

11650

1614

2255

2652

2962

3258

3542

11700

1622

2266

2664

2976

3273

3558

11750

1630

2278

2676

2989

3288

3574

11800

1638

2289

2688

3002

3303

3590

11850

1646

2300

2700

3016

3317

3606

11900

1654

2312

2712

3029

3332

3622

11950

1662

2323

2724

3042

3347

3638

12000

1671

2335

2736

3056

3361

3654

12050

1679

2346

2748

3069

3376

3670

12100

1687

2357

2760

3083

3391

3686

12150

1695

2369

2772

3096

3405

3702

12200

1703

2380

2784

3109

3420

3718

12250

1711

2391

2796

3123

3435

3734

12300

1719

2403

2808

3136

3450

3750

12350

1728

2414

2819

3149

3464

3766

12400

1736

2425

2831

3163

3479

3782

12450

1744

2437

2843

3176

3494

3798

12500

1752

2448

2855

3189

3508

3814

12550

1760

2459

2867

3203

3523

3830

12600

1768

2471

2879

3216

3538

3846

12650

1777

2482

2891

3230

3553

3862

12700

1785

2493

2903

3243

3567

3878

12750

1793

2505

2915

3256

3582

3894

12800

1801

2516

2927

3270

3597

3910

12850

1809

2527

2939

3283

3611

3926

12900

1817

2539

2951

3296

3626

3942

12950

1825

2550

2963

3310

3641

3958

13000

1834

2561

2975

3323

3656

3974

13050

1842

2573

2987

3337

3670

3990

13100

1850

2584

2999

3350

3685

4006

13150

1858

2596

3011

3363

3700

4022

13200

1866

2607

3023

3377

3714

4037

13250

1874

2618

3035

3390

3729

4053

13300

1882

2630

3047

3403

3744

4069

13350

1891

2641

3059

3417

3758

4085

13400

1899

2652

3071

3430

3773

4101

13450

1907

2664

3083

3444

3788

4117

13500

1915

2675

3095

3457

3803

4133

13550

1923

2686

3107

3470

3817

4149

13600

1931

2698

3119

3484

3832

4165

13650

1939

2709

3131

3497

3847

4181

13700

1948

2720

3143

3510

3861

4197

13750

1956

2732

3155

3524

3876

4213

13800

1964

2743

3167

3537

3891

4229

13850

1972

2754

3179

3550

3906

4245

13900

1980

2766

3191

3564

3920

4261

13950

1988

2777

3203

3577

3935

4277

14000

1997

2788

3215

3591

3950

4293

14050

2005

2800

3226

3604

3964

4309

14100

2013

2811

3238

3617

3979

4325

14150

2021

2822

3250

3631

3994

4341

14200

2029

2834

3262

3644

4009

4357

14250

2037

2845

3274

3657

4023

4373

14300

2045

2856

3286

3671

4038

4389

14350

2054

2868

3298

3684

4053

4405

14400

2062

2879

3310

3698

4067

4421

14450

2070

2891

3322

3711

4082

4437

14500

2078

2902

3334

3724

4097

4453

14550

2086

2913

3346

3738

4111

4469

14600

2094

2925

3358

3751

4126

4485

14650

2102

2936

3370

3764

4141

4501

14700

2111

2947

3382

3778

4156

4517

14750

2119

2959

3394

3791

4170

4533

14800

2127

2970

3406

3805

4185

4549

14850

2135

2981

3418

3818

4200

4565

14900

2143

2993

3430

3831

4214

4581

14950

2151

3004

3442

3845

4229

4597

15000

2160

3015

3454

3858

4244

4613

15050

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4559

5214

5824

6406

6964

29700

3143

4564

5220

5831

6414

6972

29750

3147

4570

5226

5837

6421

6980

29800

3150

4575

5232

5844

6428

6988

29850

3153

4580

5238

5851

6436

6996

29900

3157

4586

5244

5857

6443

7004

29950

3160

4591

5250

5864

6451

7012

30000

3163

4596

5256

5871

6458

7020

(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)
(i) 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.
(ii)
1. When a parent with shared physical custody keeps the child or children overnight for more than 25% (at least 92 overnights), but less than 30% (not more than 109 overnights), of the year, that parent's theoretical basic child support obligation shall be increased by the amount of the shared physical custody adjustment specified in subsubparagraph 2 of this subparagraph.
2. The shared physical custody adjustment shall be calculated by multiplying the theoretical basic child support obligation for a parent described in subsubparagraph 1 of this subparagraph by:
A. 0.10, when the parent keeps the child or children overnight for more than 25% (at least 92 overnights), but less than 26% (not more than 94 overnights), of the year;
B. 0.08, when the parent keeps the child or children overnight for more than 26% (at least 95 overnights), but less than 27% (not more than 98 overnights), of the year;
C. 0.06, when the parent keeps the child or children overnight for more than 27% (at least 99 overnights), but less than 28% (not more than 102 overnights), of the year;
D. 0.04, when the parent keeps the child or children overnight for more than 28% (at least 103 overnights), but less than 29% (not more than 105 overnights), of the year; or
E. 0.02, when the parent keeps the child or children overnight for more than 29% (at least 106 overnights), but less than 30% (not more than 109 overnights), of the year.
(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.

Md. Code, FL § 12-204

Amended by 2024 Md. Laws, Ch. 427,Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2024.
Amended by 2020 Md. Laws, Ch. 384, Sec. 1, eff. 7/2/2022.
Amended by 2020 Md. Laws, Ch. 383, Sec. 1, eff. 7/2/2022.
Amended by 2020 Md. Laws, Ch. 143, Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2020.
Amended by 2020 Md. Laws, Ch. 142, Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2020.
Amended by 2019 Md. Laws, Ch. 436, Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2019.
Section 12-204 - Determination of child support obligation, Md. Code, Fam. Law § 12-204 (2024)
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