Income Decrease Due to COVID-19-Modification of Child Support

If You Have Lost Your Wages Or Your Income Have Decreased Due To Covid-19, What Can I Do With Regards To Modification Of Child Support?

For the past two months, businesses in Maryland were ordered to close or only allow a partial opening of their businesses. This has economic prejudice many businesses where they had to lay-off or reduce employees’ hours. On March 30, 2020, Governor Hogan issued a heightened safeguard which only a few people to be out of their residence. A violation of the stay-at-home order can be up to one-year imprisonment, a fine of $5,000.00, or both.

Maryland Courts can Modify Child Support if You Have Been Laid-Off Due to Covid-19

If an individual has lost his job or there is reduction in income due to Covid-19 or any reason without intentional doing it, an individual can seek a modification of child support in accordance to the Family Law Article in Maryland. Under Maryland Law, child support should be paid until a child reaches 18 years old and completed high school or if the child is enrolled in high school or secondary school, then child support should terminate when the child reaches 19 years old, whichever occurs first. If there is a material change in circumstances, child support is modifiable. This means that there is a decrease or increase in the parent’s income or in the child’s financial needs.

For instance, your local school is closed. If you have to work since you are an essential employee, your work-related child care costs have increased significantly. If you have experienced a reduction in income or a job loss, you may have to attain private health insurance which can cost more than your employer’s health insurance. That should be included in the child support calculation.

During The Covid-19 Temporary Closures, Can You Request An Immediate Child Support Modification?

Since March 16, 2020, Maryland Courts have generally been closed to the public except for emergency cases which child support modifications are not included. However, the Maryland Courts will have a tremendous backlog of cases where it can take months for you to be heard for your child support modification. It is critical to file immediately for your request for modification, so that way you can go back at the time of filing of the child support petition.

File Your Modification Today!

The court can include child support payment until the time of filing that is why you should file it now. If you do not stay current with our child support payments and not requesting a modification, you still owe this amount and that will become arrears.

Settle for a Lower Child Support Payment, so That Way You do not Have to Wait to be Heard

You can reach an agreement with the other party to speed up the process. There one certain way to speed the process by reaching an agreement with the other parent at to how much child support you should be paying. The parties may be away of a loss of job or reduction of income which is a material change of circumstance under the Maryland Family Law Article. You should contact our firm to help with your situation. Contact the Soubra Law Firm at 301-219-5038.

As your Frederick Covid-19 Modification of Child Support Attorney, the Law Firm is here to serve Frederick, Montgomery, Washington, and Carroll Counties as well as the remaining Maryland area. The Firm would like to be your Covid-19 Modification of Child Support Lawyer.