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SB 660

Family Law - Child Support Guidelines - Agreement Between Parents

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Justin Ready

SB 660 expands parental flexibility to establish child support agreements outside Maryland's standard guidelines through mutual consent, subject to court approval.

Hearing 2/13 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · SB 660

Legislative bill overview

SB 660 modifies Maryland's child support guidelines to allow parents greater flexibility in establishing child support agreements outside the standard statutory formula. The bill appears to expand parental autonomy in determining support amounts through mutual agreement, subject to certain conditions and court review.

Why is this important

Child support directly affects the financial welfare of children and family stability. Current guidelines exist to ensure consistency and adequacy of support, but rigid formulas can sometimes conflict with individual family circumstances. This change could provide relief for parents in non-standard situations while potentially creating variations in child support outcomes based on negotiating power rather than standardized assessments.

Potential points of contention

  • Child welfare standards: Critics may argue that allowing deviation from guidelines through agreement alone could disadvantage children if parents agree to below-standard support amounts, particularly when one parent has significantly more bargaining power
  • Consistency and fairness: Expanded flexibility may create disparities in support levels across cases with similar financial circumstances, raising equity concerns
  • Judicial oversight scope: Questions about how thoroughly courts should review parental agreements and what standards apply to determine if an agreement adequately serves the child's interests, versus simply accepting mutual consent

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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