How long is a Maryland parent required to pay child support?
At the McKeon Law Firm, we know that not all of our Gaithersburg readers are experts in the area of family law. That’s why, on our blog, we like to answer questions that may be on the minds of our readers. By answering theses questions, we hope to give our readers a better understanding of the law as well as stress the importance of talking to an experienced attorney when necessary.
In today’s post, we’d like to address a very important question that is typically asked by non-custodial parents who have had little to no interaction with the family law court system. The question is the one we’re asking above: how long is a Maryland parent required to pay child support? Let’s take a look.
According to the Maryland Department of Human Resources, a non-custodial parent is only required by law to pay child support until the child reaches the age of 18. There are of course certain circumstances when this age may be adjusted though. If the child is still enrolled in high school, the age may be extended to 19.
Of course, age is not the only stipulation when determining the length of a child support obligation. A non-custodial parent may be forced to continue paying past-due child support payments long after a child has passed the age of 18. In cases such as this, the non-custodial parent is responsible for continuing payments until their arrears are paid in full. In other circumstances, a non-custodial parent may want to request a motion to terminate their child support obligation because the child is living with them instead of the custodial parent.
As always, we’d like to remind our Maryland readers that every family law case is different. What applies in one situation may not apply in another. This is why talking to an experienced lawyer is a good idea. Because of their understanding of the law, a lawyer can help families see how the law will apply to their specific situation, giving them a better understanding of what they’re up against and what they need to do next.
