Source: https://lawdailylife.com/maryland-divorce-laws-child-custody-support-alimony-property-division/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 12:20:17+00:00

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The following is a summary of Maryland’s divorce laws. In some cases, the exact text of the statute has been simplified and/or modified to provide for easier understanding. For a more specific understanding of the laws, you should consult the full Maryland Code or ask an attorney how the law might apply to your particular situation.
When Help Yourself Divorce prepares your divorce papers, your divorce will be filed on the grounds that you’ve been living separate and apart for 12 months.
Maryland laws require at least one party to have resided in the state of Maryland for one year before the divorce papers are filed, if the grounds for divorce occurred outside the state. If the grounds for divorce occurred within the state of Maryland, there are no residency requirements but at least one spouse must be a resident of the state of Maryland.
The divorce papers may be filed in the Maryland county where either spouse resides.
After filing the divorce papers with the Court, you must “serve” your spouse with the papers. Service is made by having someone other than yourself, who is at least 18 years old, serve the papers upon your spouse. This can be done by Sheriff, process server, or 3rd party via certified mail, restricted delivery, return-receipt requested.
There is no specified waiting period under Maryland laws before your final divorce hearing may be held. How long it takes to obtain a hearing will depend on the schedule of the court. Both spouses will typically be required to attend the final hearing.
Alimony Agreement of the Parties.
The court is bound to the agreement made by the parties concerning alimony.
-From 11-101 of the Maryland Code.
12. Whether the award would cause a spouse who is a resident of a related institution as defined in § 19-301 of the Health-General Article and from whom alimony is sought to become eligible for medical assistance earlier than would otherwise occur.
-From 11-106 of the Maryland Code.
The court may order alimony for an indefinite time, if the court finds that due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability, the party seeking alimony cannot reasonably be expected to make substantial progress toward becoming self-supporting, or even after the party seeking alimony will have made as much progress toward becoming self-supporting as can reasonably be expected, the standards of living of the parties will be unconscionably disparate.
Unless the parties agree otherwise, alimony terminates upon the death of either party, upon the remarriage of the recipient, or if the court finds that termination is necessary to avoid a harsh and inequitable result.
-From 11-108 of the Maryland Code.
Maryland law lists no specific guidelines or factors the court uses to determine child custody. If there has been abuse or child neglect, the court might deny custody or visitation to the parent who committed the offense.
“Income” means actual income from any source, including salaries; wages; commissions; bonuses; dividend income; pension income; interest income; trust income; annuity income; Social Security benefits; workers’ compensation benefits; unemployment insurance benefits; disability insurance benefits; for the obligor, any third party payment paid to or for a minor child as a result of the obligor’s disability, retirement, or other compensable claim; alimony or maintenance received; and expense reimbursements or in-kind payments received by a parent in the course of employment, self-employment, or operation of a business to the extent the reimbursements or payments reduce the parent’s personal living expenses. Based on the circumstances of the case, the court may consider the following items as actual income: severance pay; capital gains; gifts; or prizes.
For income from self-employment, rent, royalties, proprietorship of a business, or joint ownership of a partnership or closely held corporation, “actual income” means gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary expenses required to produce income. “Ordinary and necessary expenses” does not include amounts allowable by the Internal Revenue Service for the accelerated component of depreciation expenses or investment tax credits or any other business expenses determined by the court to be inappropriate for determining actual income for purposes of calculating child support.
“Actual income” does not include benefits received from means-tested public assistance programs, including temporary cash assistance, Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, and transitional emergency, medical, and housing assistance.
If a parent is voluntarily impoverished, child support may be calculated based on a determination of potential income. However, a determination of potential income may not be made for a parent who is unable to work because of a physical or mental disability; or is caring for a child under the age of two years for whom the parents are jointly and severally responsible. “Potential income” means income attributed to a parent determined by the parent’s employment potential and probable earnings level based on, but not limited to, recent work history, occupational qualifications, prevailing job opportunities, and earnings levels in the community.
-From Sections §12-201 and §12-204 of the Maryland Code.
The basic child support obligation shall be determined in accordance with the schedule of basic child support obligations in Section §12-204 of the Maryland Code. The basic child support obligation shall be divided between the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes. “Adjusted actual income” means actual income minus preexisting reasonable child support obligations actually paid; except as provided in §12-204 (a) (2), alimony or maintenance obligations actually paid; and the actual cost of providing health insurance coverage for a child for whom the parents are jointly and severally responsible.
Calculating Support for Shared Physical Custody.
“Shared physical custody” means that each parent keeps the child or children overnight for more than 35% of the year and that both parents contribute to the expenses of the child or children in addition to the payment of child support. 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, then each parent’s share shall be multiplied by the percentage of time the children spend with the other parent to determine the theoretical basic child support obligation owed to the other parent. The parent owing the greater amount shall owe the difference in the two amounts as child support.
-From Section §12-204 of the Maryland Code.
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. “Extraordinary medical expenses” means uninsured expenses over $100 for a single illness or condition, and includes uninsured, reasonable, and necessary costs for orthodontia, dental treatment, asthma treatment, physical therapy, treatment for any chronic health problem, and professional counseling or psychiatric therapy for diagnosed mental disorders.
(2) any expenses for transportation of the child between the homes of he parents.
2. the presence in the household of either parent of other children to whom that parent owes a duty of support and the expenses for whom that parent is directly contributing.
-From Section §12-202 of the Maryland Code.
What is Considered Marital or Non Marital Property.
4. Directly traceable to any of these sources.
11. Any other factor that the court considers necessary or appropriate to consider in order to arrive at a fair and equitable monetary award or transfer of an interest in the pension, retirement, profit sharing, or deferred compensation plan, or both.
Occupancy and Use of the Family Home.
The court shall enable any child of the family to continue to live in the environment and community that are familiar to the child, and shall provide for the continued occupancy of the family home and possession and use of family property by a party with custody of a child who has a need to live in that home.
3. Any hardship imposed on the party whose interest in the family home or family property is infringed on.

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