Maryland Child Support Calculator 2026
Maryland reads the basic child support amount from a state schedule, which this page does not reproduce. Enter both parents' incomes to see each parent's share of combined income and of insurance and childcare, then use the official Maryland source linked below for the schedule amount. Calculated privately in your browser.
Estimate only — the court or the child support agency sets the order. Official source: Maryland Courts child support help page.
Maryland uses the income shares model for child support: a basic obligation is read from the state schedule using both parents' combined income and the number of children, then divided by each parent's share of that income. This page calculates the shares; the schedule amount comes from the official Maryland source.
How Maryland Child Support Is Calculated
The National Conference of State Legislatures lists Maryland among the income shares states. The calculation has four steps: add both parents' incomes; find the basic obligation for that combined income and number of children in the Maryland schedule; divide it between the parents in proportion to their incomes; then apply the worksheet's adjustments.
Maryland starts from each parent's gross income (adjusted actual income), before taxes, with the adjustments its worksheet allows.
| Step | On this page? |
|---|---|
| Each parent's share of combined income | Yes — exact arithmetic |
| Basic obligation from the Maryland schedule | No — read it from the official source |
| Health insurance and childcare split | Yes — divided by income share (Md. Code, Family Law s. 12-204(g)-(h)) |
| Parenting-time adjustment | No — made on the worksheet or by the court |
| Low-income and high-income rules | No — set by the Maryland guidelines |
Worked Example: Maryland Income Shares
With the default figures, the paying parent has $5,000 a month and the other parent $3,000. Combined income is $8,000, so the paying parent's share is 62.5% and the other parent's is 37.5%. With a $150 health insurance premium and $200 of work-related childcare, an income-share split puts $93.75 and $125.00 on the paying parent. To finish the calculation you would look up $8,000 of combined income and 2 children in the Maryland schedule and apply those shares.
Insurance, Childcare and Parenting Time in Maryland
Maryland divides the children's health insurance premium and work-related childcare between the parents in proportion to their incomes (Md. Code, Family Law s. 12-204(g)-(h)), so the paying parent's share of those costs is the same percentage as the income share above. Which costs count, and any limits, are set on the worksheet.
Any adjustment for parenting time (overnights) is made on the state worksheet or by the court and is not estimated here.
Estimate Only: Who Sets the Maryland Order
This page gives an estimate only — the court or the state child support agency sets the order, and either can depart from the guideline where the law allows. Before relying on any figure, confirm the amount with the Maryland Courts child support help page. The governing text is Maryland Family Law section 12-204 (schedule).
If your income, the parenting schedule or the children's needs change, ask the court or the agency to review the order, and keep paying the ordered amount until it is changed. Last updated: October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is child support calculated in Maryland?
Maryland uses the income shares model. A basic obligation is read from the Maryland schedule using both parents' combined income and the number of children, then divided between the parents in proportion to their incomes. Insurance, childcare and parenting time are handled on the state worksheet, and a court or the child support agency sets the final amount.
Does this calculator give the Maryland guideline amount?
No. It calculates each parent's share of combined income and of insurance and childcare costs. The basic obligation comes from the Maryland schedule, which this page does not reproduce. Use the official Maryland source linked on the page for the schedule amount.
What income does Maryland use for child support?
Maryland works from each parent's gross income (adjusted actual income), before taxes, with the adjustments its worksheet allows. Enter gross monthly income for both parents.
How are health insurance and childcare handled in Maryland?
Maryland divides the children's health insurance premium and work-related childcare between the parents in proportion to their incomes (Md. Code, Family Law s. 12-204(g)-(h)), so the paying parent's share of those costs is the same percentage as the income share above. Which costs count, and any limits, are set on the worksheet.
Who decides the final child support amount in Maryland?
A court or the state child support agency sets the order. Guideline figures are a starting point, and the decision-maker can depart from them where the law allows. An online estimate, including this one, is not an order.