In Maryland, parents have two avenues for obtaining custody during a divorce case. They achieve this objective through the divorce agreement or a custody hearing. Once custody is awarded, the court calculates child support payments. A Child Support Lawyer in New Market could provide parents with an overview of how these payments are established.
Reviewing the Income of Each Parent
The income of each parent is reviewed to determine the financial responsibilities of each parent. The court reviews the earning capacity of each parent to determine what is required to keep the child in the same lifestyle as they had when their parents were married. Typically, child support is determined initially as ten percent for the first child and five percent for each additional child. However, some circumstances could increase the total payment.
Special Medical Requirements
Children with challenging medical requirements could present high costs for the custodial parent. When a child requires additional care, the court may include a percentage of these requirements in the total value of the support payments. However, the parents may agree to the terms of a divorce agreement that includes payments for these medical needs. This could eliminate these requirements in terms of the support payments.
Tuition for Private School
Tuition payments are also reviewed when private schooling is required. The parents often share the expense of the tuition. The payments are needed according to the school schedule. They could be included in the child support payments.
Managing College Expenses
Children that stay with the custodial parent while attending college could entitle parents to continued child support. Agreements listed in a divorce case could determine how these circumstances are managed. For example, if the child stays with the custodial parent instead of living in the dorms, this could provide a need for further support requirements.
In Maryland, parents manage child support payments based on the court’s orders. The court requires the non-custodial parent to submit payments to the custodial parent directly or through the court. Parents who have questions for a Child Support Lawyer in New Market could contact us for a consultation right now for more details.
