How to File for Child Support in Maryland

When it comes to providing financial, medical, and emotional support for children, the Maryland Child Support Administration (CSA) is here to help. Whether you are divorced or not, you can file for child support when opening a custody case or by opening a separate child support case. In this article, we will discuss the process of filing for child support in Maryland, the costs associated with it, and what happens if a parent fails to pay. If you are currently or previously received Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) or Medical Assistance, you may be exempt from the application fee.

When a parent routinely stops paying child support, you may have to file a contempt of court lawsuit for the judge to enforce child support orders.

To open a child support case, file a child support complaint (CC-DR-00) with the corresponding financial statement. The Child Support Administration (CSA) has an online calculator that will calculate the amount of child support that the court can approve based on current guidelines.

The law does not define material changes, but generally anything that causes a change of at least 25 percent in parents' income or in the child's expenses will generally be taken into account. The costs of child care, health insurance and extraordinary medical expenses are calculated as part of the maintenance obligation. If a parent doesn't pay child support, the Office of Child Support Compliance can take action against them, including suspending their driver's license and intercepting tax refunds. Custody X Change calculates parenting time accurately, so your alimony will have the fairest outcome for your children. In some cases, the court orders that support be paid through a wage garnishment and the amount is automatically deducted from the responsible parent's paycheck. Parents can get support on behalf of their children under 18 (or on behalf of their 19-year-old children who are still in high school).

Courts often miscalculate parenting time when calculating child support, which could cause child support to be too high or too low. The local child support control office can also open a child support case on your behalf or help you enforce a child support order. Each parent subtracts the alimony or child support they already pay, and then adds or subtracts the alimony payments of the current case. Filing for child support in Maryland is an important step in ensuring that your children receive the financial, medical and emotional support they need to grow and thrive. If you have any questions about filing for child support in Maryland, contact your local CSA office for more information.