Child Support 101
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What is Child Support in Maryland
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Why courts are involved in Child Support?
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Fundamentals of a Child Support Order
Parents of minor child have a legal obligation to support their child. That support is based on their financial ability to provide the required support. Beginning in 1990, Maryland implemented child support guidelines that provide a uniform formulat for calculating child support. The support required is based on a proportion of each parent’s gross income. The Maryland Child Support guidelines are always applied, unless a parent can demonstrate the application of the guidelines would be unjust and inappropriate in their specific instance. Maryland judges are called upon frequently to determine how much child support the non-custodial parent must pay to the parent who is the primary custodian of the minor child.