In Maryland, child support is calculated according to the Maryland Child Support Guidelines. The Child Support Guidelines take into account many factors that help to determine how much, if any, child support should be paid from one parent to another.
Two primary factors which are included in the child support calculation are the gross (before tax) incomes of each party, as well as how many overnights the child spends with each parent over the course of the year. If the child spends a roughly equal amount of overnights with each parent throughout the course of the year, it is likely that the recommended child support amount will be lower. Conversely, if the child resides exclusively with one parent or spends most nights throughout the year at one parent’s house, it is likely that the Maryland Child Support Guidelines will recommend a higher child support amount for the non-custodial parent.