Frederick Child Support Attorney
Child support helps cover your child's housing, food, clothing, and other daily needs. Maryland uses both parents' incomes to calculate payments, but disagreements can arise over earnings, expenses, and missed payments.
Whether you are requesting support or being asked to pay, understanding your rights is important. At Diamant Gerstein, LLC, we offer 24/7 availability and personalized legal guidance to help Frederick County parents establish, modify, and enforce child support orders.
Maryland uses an income shares model. The court combines both parents' adjusted monthly incomes, then checks a state schedule for the basic support amount. Each parent pays a share based on their income. For example, a parent who earns 60 percent of the combined income is usually responsible for 60 percent of the calculated obligation.
The court may also include added expenses, such as:
Most added expenses are shared according to each parent's income. A judge may order a different amount when the guidelines would be unfair, but must explain the decision.
Your child custody schedule also matters. Shared physical custody calculations may apply when each parent has at least 92 overnights each year and helps cover the child's expenses.
Income can include wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, rental payments, and business earnings. Courts may review tax returns, pay records, and bank statements to determine what each parent actually earns.
If a parent purposely stops working or accepts lower pay to avoid support, the judge may use potential income. This estimate considers work experience, education, and available jobs. However, unemployment does not always mean a parent is avoiding support.
Maryland's guideline schedule covers combined monthly incomes up to $30,000. For higher incomes, the judge decides an appropriate amount based on the circumstances. This can matter in a high-net-worth divorce involving businesses, investments, or irregular bonuses.
You can ask the court to change your child support order if your circumstances have changed significantly. Common reasons include losing your job, a major change in income, a new parenting schedule, or increased medical or childcare costs.
In Maryland, changes to child support cannot go back further than the date you filed your request. If you wait too long, you may still owe payments based on your previous income.
Our attorneys help fathers, mothers, and other parents request support modifications. We can gather financial records, prepare your case, and explain why your current order should change.
Unpaid child support can create serious problems. Maryland's Child Support Administration has several ways to collect overdue payments. It may withhold wages, intercept tax refunds, and seek suspension of a driver's or professional license.
Parents who owe $2,500 or more may also face passport denial. Courts can use contempt proceedings when appropriate, but jail is not automatic. The court must consider whether the parent has the ability to comply.
Payment disputes can become especially difficult after a narcissist divorce if a former spouse hides income or uses money to pressure the other parent. Keep copies of payment records, messages, and financial documents. Attorney Sharon Diamant’s background as a former prosecutor helps our firm evaluate evidence and present your case.
Child support usually ends when your child turns 18. If the child is still in high school, payments may continue until graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. Different rules may apply to certain adult children with disabilities, and overdue support remains collectible.
Support may be ordered during a divorce or in a case between unmarried parents. We can help you establish parentage and seek an appropriate order.
Attorney Sharon T. Diamant grew up in the Frederick area and previously served as a local prosecutor. She brings that experience and knowledge of the local courts to her family law practice. Along with attorney Jason P. Gerstein, she helps parents find solutions to difficult support disputes.
Our family-operated firm has earned more than 200 five-star reviews, and our Spanish-speaking team is ready to assist you. Whether you need help with child support or another family law matter, contact our Frederick child support attorneys at 301-560-2685 to schedule a consultation.
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Rockville, MD 20852
From our office in Rockville, Maryland, we serve clients throughout Montgomery County and the surrounding areas, including Ellicott City, Columbia, Frederick, Clarksburg, Germantown, Silver Spring, Chevy Chase, Olney, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Potomac, Baltimore, Baltimore County, Prince George's County, Frederick County, Howard County, Charles County, Anne Arundel County, Kent County, Caroline County, and Washington County.
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