Maryland is not a community property state. This means that marital assets are not automatically divided equally (50/50) in a divorce. Instead, Maryland follows the principle of equitable distribution.
Equitable distribution aims for fairness, which may or may not result in a completely even split. Several factors influence this determination, including each party’s contribution to the marriage, economic circumstances, and the reasons for the divorce, if any exist and pertain to financial misconduct. This legal framework acknowledges that contributions to a marriage are not always monetary and assigns value to both financial input and contributions as a homemaker or caregiver. Historically, this approach recognizes that the circumstances of each divorce are unique and warrant individualized consideration.