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How Is Alimony Calculated in Maryland?

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:00:20 GMT

How Is Alimony Calculated in Maryland?

Divorce can bring many financial concerns, and one of the most common questions spouses have is whether alimony will be awarded and how the amount is determined. Unlike child support, Maryland does not use a fixed formula to calculate alimony. Instead, judges evaluate several factors to decide whether support is appropriate, how much should be paid, and for how long.

Understanding how Maryland courts approach alimony can help you prepare for negotiations or litigation and protect your financial future.

What Is Alimony?

Alimony, sometimes called spousal support, is financial assistance that one spouse may be ordered to pay the other during or after a divorce.

The purpose of alimony is to reduce unfair economic hardship that may result when one spouse has significantly fewer financial resources or earning opportunities.

Depending on the circumstances, alimony may be awarded temporarily or for a longer period.

Is There a Formula for Alimony in Maryland?

No. Maryland does not use a mathematical formula to determine alimony in most divorce cases.

Instead, the court reviews the unique facts of each marriage and applies state law to determine whether alimony is appropriate. This allows

judges to consider the financial realities of each family rather than relying on a standard calculation.

Factors Courts Consider When Determining Alimony

When deciding whether to award alimony, Maryland courts examine numerous factors, including:

The Ability of Each Spouse to Support Themselves

The court looks at each spouse's current income, employment, education, work history, and future earning potential. A spouse who has been out of the workforce for many years may require financial support while becoming self-sufficient.

The Standard of Living During the Marriage

Judges consider the lifestyle the couple maintained throughout the marriage. While divorce often requires financial adjustments, courts attempt to prevent one spouse from experiencing an unnecessary financial disadvantage.

Length of the Marriage

Longer marriages are generally more likely to result in longer periods of alimony, particularly if one spouse became financially dependent during the relationship.

Financial Resources of Both Parties

The court evaluates assets, debts, savings, retirement accounts, investments, and all sources of income available to each spouse.

Contributions to the Marriage

Maryland courts recognize both financial and non-financial contributions. For example, raising children, maintaining the household, or supporting a spouse's education or career may all influence an alimony decision.

Age and Health of Each Spouse

Physical and mental health conditions that affect a spouse's ability to work or become financially independent may be important considerations.

Circumstances Leading to the Divorce

Although Maryland is primarily a no-fault divorce state, certain circumstances surrounding the marriage and its dissolution may still be considered when determining alimony.

Types of Alimony in Maryland

Maryland courts may award different types of alimony depending on the circumstances.

Pendente Lite Alimony

This temporary support is awarded while the divorce is pending. Its purpose is to help maintain financial stability until the court issues a final divorce judgment.

Rehabilitative Alimony

This is the most common form of alimony in Maryland. It provides financial support for a limited period while the receiving spouse gains education, training, or employment needed to become self-supporting.

Indefinite Alimony

In limited situations, a court may award indefinite alimony. This generally occurs when:

One spouse cannot reasonably become self-supporting due to age, illness, or disability.
Even after making reasonable progress toward self-sufficiency, a significant disparity in the parties' standards of living would remain.

Can Alimony Be Modified?

In many cases, yes.

If there is a significant change in circumstances—such as job loss, retirement, disability, or a substantial change in income—either party may request that the court modify an existing alimony order. However, some agreements negotiated between spouses may limit future modifications.

Can Alimony End?

Alimony does not always last indefinitely.

Depending on the court order or settlement agreement, alimony may end when:

The specified payment period expires.
Either spouse dies.
The recipient remarries.
Other conditions outlined in the court order or agreement occur.

The exact circumstances depend on the terms of the award.

Why Legal Guidance Matters in Alimony Cases

Because Maryland judges consider numerous factors instead of applying a simple formula, alimony cases can be complex. Proper financial documentation, persuasive evidence, and effective legal representation can significantly affect the outcome.

Whether you are seeking alimony or defending against an excessive support request, understanding your rights is essential to protecting your

financial future.

Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law Can Help the Bethesda Community

If you have questions about how alimony may be determined in your divorce, Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law is prepared to assist individuals and families throughout Bethesda. Our firm can evaluate your circumstances, explain Maryland's alimony laws, and advocate for a fair outcome that reflects your financial needs and legal rights.

What to Do After Being Served With Divorce Papers in Maryland

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:33:31 GMT

What to Do After Being Served With Divorce Papers in Maryland

Being served with divorce papers can be an overwhelming and emotional experience. Whether the divorce comes as a surprise or was expected, your response in the days and weeks that follow can have a significant impact on your rights, finances, and future. Knowing what steps to take after being served with divorce papers in Maryland can help you approach the process with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.

At Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law , we provide legal assistance to the Bethesda community and help individuals navigate Maryland divorce proceedings while protecting their interests.

Stay Calm and Read the Documents Carefully

Receiving divorce papers does not mean that the court has already made any decisions about your marriage, property, or children. The documents simply notify you that your spouse has filed for divorce.

Take the time to carefully review every document you receive. Pay close attention to:

The grounds for divorce
Any requests regarding child custody or support
Requests for alimony
Division of marital property
Court deadlines for responding

Understanding what your spouse is asking for is the first step toward preparing an appropriate response.

Do Not Ignore the Divorce Papers

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is ignoring the paperwork. Maryland courts generally require you to file a response within a specific timeframe after being served.

Failing to respond could result in a default judgment, allowing the court to grant many or all of your spouse's requested terms without hearing your side of the case.

Even if you disagree with the divorce or hope to reconcile, it is important to comply with all legal deadlines.

Gather Important Financial Documents

Divorce often involves dividing marital assets and determining financial responsibilities. Begin collecting documents such as:

Bank account statements
Tax returns
Retirement account information
Mortgage and loan records
Credit card statements
Pay stubs
Investment accounts
Insurance policies

Having organized financial records can make the process smoother and help ensure accurate financial disclosures.

Avoid Making Major Financial Decisions

After being served, avoid taking actions that could complicate your case, including:

Selling marital property
Emptying joint bank accounts
Transferring assets
Incurring significant debt
Changing beneficiaries without legal guidance

These actions may create additional legal issues and could negatively affect your position during the divorce.

Protect Your Relationship With Your Children

If children are involved, continue focusing on their well-being throughout the divorce process.

Parents should avoid:

Speaking negatively about the other parent
Involving children in legal disputes
Violating existing parenting agreements
Making unilateral custody decisions

Maryland courts prioritize the best interests of the child when making custody determinations, and your behavior during the divorce may be considered by the court.

Be Careful About What You Post Online

Social media activity can sometimes become evidence during divorce proceedings.

Avoid posting about:

Your spouse
New relationships
Vacations or expensive purchases
Arguments
Details of the divorce case

Even private posts may eventually become part of the legal process.

Respond Honestly and Completely

Your response to the divorce petition should accurately address the allegations and requests made by your spouse.

Providing complete and truthful information helps avoid unnecessary disputes and demonstrates good faith throughout the proceedings.

If you disagree with certain requests, your response can explain your position and preserve your legal rights.

Consider Whether Settlement Is Possible

Not every divorce ends with a courtroom trial. Many Maryland divorces are resolved through negotiation or mediation.

Reaching a fair settlement may help:

Reduce legal costs
Save time
Minimize stress
Maintain greater privacy
Provide more flexibility in crafting agreements

However, every proposed settlement should be carefully reviewed before acceptance.

Work With a Maryland Divorce Attorney

Every divorce presents unique legal and financial issues. An attorney can explain your rights, prepare court filings, protect your interests during negotiations, and represent you throughout the legal process.

Whether your divorce involves child custody, property division, alimony, or contested issues, experienced legal guidance can help you make informed decisions from the very beginning.

Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law Can Help the Bethesda

Community

If you have been served with divorce papers in Maryland, taking prompt action can help protect your rights and prepare you for the next stage of the legal process. Understanding your obligations, meeting court deadlines, and making informed decisions can have a lasting impact on the outcome of your case.

Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law proudly provides legal assistance to individuals and families throughout Bethesda . If you have questions about responding to divorce papers or navigating the divorce process in Maryland, professional legal guidance can help you move forward with confidence.

How to Provide Compelling Testimony During a Child Custody Hearing in Maryland

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:01:01 GMT

If you have a pending child custody case, you may be wondering about what you should say in court. One of the most effective ways to ensure you provide compelling testimony during your case is to hire an experienced child custody lawyer in Maryland who can help you prepare for your hearing and discuss the most important things you should convey to the court, including:

Best Interest of the Child Standard

Child custody laws in Maryland require that state courts consider what is in the best interest of the child when making decisions regarding physical or legal child custody. The courts in Maryland will consider the following relevant factors when making such decisions:

The fitness of each parent
The character and reputation of each parent
The current agreements between the parents and their willingness to continue them
The child’s preferences
Material opportunities that may impact the child’s future
The age, health, and sex of the child
Each parent’s living situation, how far they live from each other, and opportunities for visitation
Whether a parent has previously abandoned the child

Knowing what the court is considering when making these decisions can help guide your testimony.

Joint Custody Considerations

During the child custody process, if you or your ex asks the court for joint custody, it will consider additional factors, such as:

The ability of the parents to communicate and reach decisions together regarding the children
The willingness of the parents to share custody
The relationship between the child and each parent
Whether the child’s social or school life would be disrupted
The demands of each parent’s employment
The financial status of each parent
How the arrangement would benefit the parents

Important Elements of Testimony

When testifying about your preferred child custody arrangement, you may want to convey the following information, if true:

You have a consistent employment record that affords you with the ability to provide for the essential needs of your children
You do not have any history of criminal charges, substance abuse, mental health issues, or other concerning issues
You have a strong relationship with your child
The court can award the proposed custody arrangement without disruption the child’s education, community ties, or social life
The proposed child custody arrangement will not require constant relocation or far travel
You can provide a more stable and safer environment than the other parent

Help from a Local Attorney

If you are involved in a child custody case , you do not have to go through this process alone. An affordable child custody attorney can help use their knowledge of the law to argue your position in court. He or she can also present evidence to help substantiate your claims. For help with your case, contact Maryland child custody lawyer Douglas Cohn. Mr. Cohn is very familiar with the factors that courts will consider when making these types of decisions and will work diligently to convince the court that your proposed child custody arrangement will be in the best interest of your child.

5 Tips for Parents Sharing Child Custody During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:57:00 GMT

Coparenting effectively and positively is difficult enough during the best of times. However, co-parenting during a pandemic and global crisis is nearly impossible. But do not fret. Here are five tips for parents sharing child custody during the COVID-pandemic.

Follow Court Orders

Even while stay-at-home orders are in place and travel is restricted to only that which is “essential,” you are still bound by the terms of your current court order, so it is important that you follow the court’s order. By following, you will show that you respect the court’s authority, and you can also help prevent unnecessary conflict in your child custody case. The court order also provides an objective plan for both parents, so you can refer to it if you have questions.

Keep in mind that even if your child is taking online classes this semester, you will still follow the traditional school calendar. Following this schedule will provide much-needed stability to your child during this unprecedented time.

Practice Open Communication

One of the essential elements of a good co-parenting relationship is open communication. This is even more important during a global pandemic and economic crisis. Share with your co-parent your concerns and also what you are doing to prevent the spread of infection, such as making alternative arrangements at work, practicing social distancing, constantly washing your hands, and complying with all recommendations from the CDC. The other parent’s concerns may be alleviated if you simply talk through the efforts you are making to prevent the spread of infection.

Be sure that you also have occasional age-appropriate conversations about the pandemic and the importance of following these safety precautions. Try to provide this information in a calm, matter-of-fact way so that you do not scare your child. You may also need to limit your child’s exposure to the media and clear up any misunderstanding he or she may get from his or her peer group. Answer any questions that your child has truthfully.

Be Flexible

If it becomes necessary to make changes, try to be flexible, if at all possible. The pandemic has created unique challenges that no one anticipated, such as changing work schedules and responsibilities, shutting down schools, and limiting travel. If a different arrangement will better suit your family than what is in your current court order, you and the other parent can make temporary changes to it as long as you both agree., but get this new change in writing to avoid any confusion or conflict.

Be Transparent

It is also important to be transparent with the other parent during this unprecedented time. If you have come into contact with an infected person, let the other parent know. Talk about self-quarantining and make alternative arrangements for your child. Likewise, if your child may have been exposed to the virus, communicate this information to the parent so he or she can be tested and appropriate arrangements can be made.

Work Together

If you, the other parent, or your child gets sick, work together to make important decisions. Even if everyone is fine, it is still important to work as a team during this difficult time. If the other parent is an essential worker and has to miss a visit, try to allow them to make up the time later.

If you or the other parent has been negatively affected financially because of the pandemic, try to communicate with the other parent about how to ensure that your child’s basic needs continue to be met. It may be necessary to modify a child or spousal support order, but you both can save much-needed resources by working on this issue together. Try to understand that your ex did not cause the current economic hardship and that you are both trying the best you can to make it through this difficult time. Remember that your child is looking to you as a model on how to deal with adversity, so be sure that you be the leader he or she needs.

Contact a Compassionate Maryland Family Law Attorney

Our family lawyers understand the difficulty the pandemic has brought on for many families across Maryland and we are here to help guide you during this difficult time. We can help you uphold existing court orders, help you mediate an amicable resolution in the face of conflict, or seek a modification of your court order that will better suit the needs of your family under today’s conditions. Contact Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law at 301-986-8877 to learn more.

Online Divorce Mediation

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:54:06 GMT

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19 has turned much of the world’s system on its head. Businesses, civil organizations, nothing runs the way it used to anymore and as a result, more people are turning to technology as a solution.

Mediation has also changed due to the realities of the COVID-19 outbreak. With the necessity of social distancing and government measures to stem the spread, physical meetings, including mediation sessions, have become all but impossible.

This has had the effect of putting our lives on hold. If you are like most of our clients, you have probably been considering a divorce for at least a year. Now that you have gotten up the courage to start the process, will the new situation mean things must stay the same for even longer?

Thankfully, No. Through online divorce mediation, you can access dispute resolution services right from your home. You should not be forced to keep postponing such an important decision as divorce, especially due to the situation. Online divorce mediation can allow you put all the issues out there and get a resolution right now.

What would the process entail and how will it benefit you compared to traditional mediation? This article discusses what you need to know.

What is online mediation and how can I benefit from it?

The mediation process is one in which disputing parties air their grievances and attempt to settle through making concessions. The process is overseen by a neutral third party (mediator), who guides the disputing parties in how they relate their grievances. The mediator also helps each party clarify their statements and in some cases, helps the parties pass their messages across.

Online mediation is an alternative to conventional in-person mediation. It majorly requires the use of web-based teleconferencing. You can be in your sitting room or study or wherever works for you and get your divorce mediation going. The benefits of online mediation are many:

You can actively take part in the process regardless of where you, your lawyer, your ex-spouse and the mediator are located. You do not need to see each other physically.
You get all the services you would normally get from conventional in-person mediation without having to leave your home. This includes joint sessions, private conversations between you and your lawyer, private sessions with the mediator and effective document sharing.
The process is efficient and it lowers costs as it eliminates the need for travel for any of the parties in the mediation process. This includes the cost of travel and boarding for the mediator.
Having the mediation process online provides a more focused environment by establishing tighter deadlines for settlement. This improves the overall effectiveness of the process.
With online mediation, you can be more candid in your interactions. You do not need to sit in the same room as your ex and suffer feelings of antagonism from his or her body language. The non-verbal cues you would normally pick up from him or her that set your teeth on edge are absent – as you both are not in the same room.

We can help with your online divorce mediation

Douglas Cohn Attorney at Law has been practicing family law since 1985 and is well-versed in the intricacies of family disputes. His considerable experience includes time spent working as a family court judge in Vermont. During this time, he worked on both sides of the bench and has amassed knowledge that will prove beneficial to you and your family.

With a combination of excellent service and a genuine concern for your situation, Doug does all he can to give you the best results. To schedule a consultation, call 301-986-8877 today or reach out to via A Smarter Divorce Mediation Services at ASMARTERDIVORCE.COM. DOUGLAS COHN AND JOAN WEISS have been co-mediators for 15 years and have resolved many divorce issues. Their experience can help clients save time, money, but more importantly, the anxiety that comes with litigation for both the parties and their children.

5 Reasons You Need a Divorce Attorney to Walk You Through the Divorce Process

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:51:29 GMT

Most people do not realize that getting married is the most significant legal process you will engage in outside of your death. The business of legally intertwining the lives of two people is complicated. As a result, the divorce process requires expertise and guidance if you want to get through it with as little pain as possible.

As a divorce lawyer in Montgomery, MD, I have seen a wide range of people requesting my services. Only a few times have I told somebody that his or her divorce could be handled through an easier mediation process. Here are five reasons why I believe getting a divorce attorney will be in your best interests:

Save time and money

It is not unusual for people to attempt to navigate their divorce process without the help of an attorney, only to find himself stuck after spinning their wheels for long periods. In reality, taking this route will likely not save time and will in most cases not save any money. Do yourself a favor and consult a professional, even if you do ultimately decide to go with mediation or the self-service route. The earlier you bring in a professional, the better the process will be for you.

Children and Assets

Creating custody arrangements and splitting up assets can be difficult, sensitive, and stressful. Most people have a fundamental understanding of how to define terms that will work for everybody involved. Divorce attorneys have worked our terms in the most complex situations and may be able to offer creative arrangements that a couple had not previously considered. Attorneys are also skilled in looking at these problems with a long-term view, which can remove some of the emotional pressure.

Support and Guidance

A divorce is an emotional process, and it is hard to find people who fully understand what you will be going through. Divorce attorneys are familiar with the kind of rollercoaster ride that is divorce and will be with you the whole process. They can be your shoulder to cry on and the motivation you need to get through the divorce.

Other Legal Complications of Which You May Not Be Aware

Divorces can often illuminate legal issues you did not know existed. I have seen countless problems exposed that individuals would not have been able to navigate had they not been working with me. Whether it is the discovery of other assets, finding out about legal misconduct, or other skeletons in the closet, a divorce attorney is there for whatever comes up.

Your Comfort

When getting a divorce, life does not stop moving. It can be challenging to become a divorce expert and maintain some normalcy. Instead of trying to learn all you need to know, find an expert divorce attorney you trust. This strategy is guaranteed to alleviate some of the pressure associated with divorce when you know you have somebody in your corner.