Rockville Child Support Attorneys

Trusted Child Support Attorney Ensuring Children's Needs in Rockville, MD

In family law cases involving children, courts will be looking to ensure that children's ongoing needs are met and that their best interests are protected. Child support is a crucial issue to address in these cases, and financial contributions from both parents will typically be needed to make sure children will have the necessary resources. Understanding how family courts handle issues related to child support and how parents' obligations are calculated is a critical concern for people involved in these cases. At Salvado Law Offices, our attorneys can provide guidance on how to address and resolve these issues. We can advocate for arrangements that will provide for children's needs while helping parents maintain financial stability.

The Purpose of Child Support

Parents have a legal obligation to address their children's ongoing financial needs. While parents who are married or cohabitating will usually combine their resources to address financial concerns affecting their family, child support arrangements will typically be established after a separation or divorce. One parent will typically make ongoing payments to the other, and these payments will be used to meet the children's basic needs, including the costs of food, clothing, and housing. Other expenses may also be divided between parents.

Child support can help children maintain their standard of living in an environment that is as close as possible to what they experienced before their parents' separation. It can also promote stability and security in the children's lives by ensuring that a parent will be able to cover all ongoing expenses.

Calculating Child Support in Maryland

Maryland law provides specific guidelines for calculating child support. The guidelines consider the income of both parents. Here is an overview of the factors that can affect these calculations:

• Parents' incomes: Wages, salaries, bonuses, and any other forms of income earned by both parents will be considered, and an "adjusted actual income" will be calculated after subtracting other forms of support a parent may pay, such as child support for children from previous relationships.
• Basic child support obligation: Based on the parents' combined income and the number of children, an amount will be determined that will be appropriate to provide for the children's needs. This amount is derived from a schedule that reflects the costs of raising children at different income levels.
• Proportionate shares: Each parent we be responsible for a share of the basic child support obligation that is calculated in proportion to their income. For instance, in a case where a parent earns 80 percent of the couple's combined income, they will be required to pay 80 percent of the amount determined using the schedule of basic support obligations.
• Adjustments for shared physical custody: In joint custody cases in which children will live with each parent for 25 percent or more of each year, additional calculations will be performed. A parent's share of the basic child support obligation is multiplied by the percentage of time the children will spend with the other parent. For instance, if children live with one parent 30 percent of the time, that parent's share of the basic child support obligation is multiplied by 70 percent. The difference between the amounts calculated using this method will be paid by one parent to the other.

Additional Expenses Added to Child Support Obligations

Certain expenses may also be addressed to ensure that all of the child's needs are met. These expenses can include:

• Child care expenses: If a child attends daycare, participates in before or after school programs, or receives care from a nanny or babysitter while a parent is working or taking steps to find employment, the costs of necessary child care will typically be divided between the parents.
• Health insurance expenses: The cost of maintaining medical coverage for a child will typically be included in child support calculations. The parent who provides the health insurance through an employer-sponsored health plan may receive a credit for this expense.
• Extraordinary medical expenses: Other costs that address children's medical, dental, or mental health treatment may be divided between parents.
• Additional expenses: Other necessary expenses may be added to the child support obligation, including educational expenses such as tuition to attend private schools and expenses related to transporting children between parents' homes.

Contact Our Rockville Child Support Lawyers

The experienced attorneys at Salvado Law Offices can help ensure that child support will be calculated correctly in a divorce or family law case. We will review all relevant financial information while also addressing any extraordinary expenses that may be required. Our goal is to ensure that children's needs will be met while protecting our clients' financial interests. Contact us at 301-933-1814 to schedule a consultation. We assist with child support matters in the communities surrounding Falls Church, Virginia and Rockville, Maryland.