Each parent has a legal obligation to financially support their children. Child support obligations are determined by the income of each parent and the needs of the child. Like all aspects of the law related to children, child support is governed by the best interests of the child standard. Whenever the parent paying child support wishes to modify the child support obligation, he must show that there has been a substantial and material change in circumstances. This standard is true in both Maryland and Washington, D.C. In Washington, D.C., the law presumes that the standard has been met if the payor-noncustodial parent’s (the person paying child support) income has decreased by at least 15%. Therefore, if a non-custodial parent has lost their job or is only receiving unemployment benefits, he may be entitled to at least a temporary modification. Similarly, payee-custodial parent may request that the support obligation be increased if she has reason to believe that the payor’s income has increased substantially and materially, for example, through a career change to a more lucrative job.
