Long Form Financial Statement in Maryland: Filing, Income, and Assets

Maryland’s long form financial statement is Form CC-DR-031, and you are required to file it in Circuit Court family cases that involve alimony, a request to divide marital property, or child support where the parents’ combined monthly gross income is above $30,000.1Maryland Courts. Instructions for Completing and Filing Divorce Forms The form asks for a full accounting of your income, monthly expenses, assets, and debts, and you sign it under penalty of perjury. Accuracy counts from the first line.

When the Long Form Is Required

Maryland Rule 9-202 identifies three situations that trigger the long form, and in each one both parties must file it:

Which form applies is not a matter of preference. Your claims and your income decide it, and filing the wrong one can delay the case or lead the court to disregard what you submitted.

How It Differs from the Short Form

The short form, CC-DR-030, is for straightforward child support cases where combined monthly income is $30,000 or less and no one is seeking alimony or property division.4Maryland Courts. Divorce – Maryland Courts It asks only for total monthly income, existing support obligations, health insurance premiums, child care, extraordinary medical expenses, and school or transportation costs.5New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules, Rule 9-203 – Financial Statements

CC-DR-031 goes much further. On top of income and child-related costs, it demands a complete breakdown of your monthly household expenses, a line-by-line inventory of assets with current values, and a list of every debt you owe. If any of the three triggers above apply, both parties file the long form regardless of which one actually wants the relief.2New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules, Rule 9-202 – Pleading

Filling In the Income Section

Start with gross monthly wages before any deductions, then list each deduction on its own line: federal tax, state tax, Medicare, FICA, and retirement. The form also asks for net wages after those come out.6Maryland Courts. Maryland Judiciary Financial Statement

Below wages, report all other gross income. Maryland’s statutory definition of “actual income” is broad and reaches salaries, commissions, bonuses, dividends, pension income, interest, trust income, annuities, Social Security, workers’ compensation, unemployment, disability insurance, alimony received, and expense reimbursements that reduce your personal living costs.7New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Family Law Code 12-202 – Definitions Severance, capital gains, gifts, and prizes may count depending on the circumstances. Means-tested benefits like food stamps or SSI are excluded.

If your income moves around, use a representative monthly average rather than a high or low month. Weekly income multiplied by 4.3 gives you a monthly figure. Annual income divided by 12 does the same. Pull your recent pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements before you start. The other side’s lawyer will match what you report against those documents, and inconsistencies get noticed quickly.

Reporting Monthly Expenses

Expenses are where filers tend to underestimate the time involved. The long form wants monthly dollar figures for housing, utilities, food, clothing, medical costs, insurance, transportation, child care, education, and personal spending. Each line needs a specific number.

Convert anything that is not already monthly. Divide annual costs like property taxes or car registration by 12. Divide quarterly bills by three. For utilities that swing seasonally, add up the year and divide. The point is to show what your household actually costs to run in a typical month, not to pick a flattering or alarming snapshot.

Listing Assets and Liabilities

The assets section covers every bank account, investment account, and real estate interest you hold, with current values or balances as of the date you sign. Retirement accounts belong here too: 401(k) plans, IRAs, pensions, and deferred compensation can all be marital property subject to division. Use your most recent statement for each account and note the statement date.

For real estate, report current market value rather than purchase price. A recent appraisal is the cleanest number. Without one, a reasonable estimate based on comparable sales will do, though the other side can challenge it. Include property you own jointly or individually, whether it is your home, a second property, or a rental.

On the liabilities side, list every creditor, the balance owed, and the minimum monthly payment. That means mortgages, car loans, student loans, credit cards, medical debt, personal loans, and any other outstanding obligation. The gap between assets and liabilities is your net financial position, which directly feeds into how property is divided and whether support is appropriate.

Filing and Serving the Statement

File CC-DR-031 with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where your case is pending.1Maryland Courts. Instructions for Completing and Filing Divorce Forms Attorneys must e-file through the Maryland Electronic Courts system (MDEC) under Rule 20-106.8Maryland Courts. MDEC Latest Updates Self-represented filers can submit in person or by mail, but once you e-file in a case, every later filing in that case must also be electronic.

Filing with the court is only half of what the rule requires. You also have to serve a copy on the opposing party or their attorney. Rule 1-321 requires service of every paper filed after the original pleading, by delivery or by mail to the address most recently on file.9New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules, Rule 1-321 – Service of Pleadings and Papers Other Than Original Pleadings Attach a certificate of service showing the date and method of delivery.

Timing matters. For spousal support claims, Rule 9-202(e) requires the financial statement to go in with the pleading that raises or responds to the claim.2New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules, Rule 9-202 – Pleading If the support claim first appears in an answer, the other party has 15 days after being served with that answer to file their own statement.

Updating the Form Before Trial

Filing once does not end the obligation. Under Rule 9-203(c), if there has been a material change in what you reported, you must file an amended statement and serve a copy on the other party at least ten days before the scheduled trial date, or by any earlier deadline the court sets.5New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules, Rule 9-203 – Financial Statements A material change is something that would actually affect the analysis: a job loss, a significant raise, a new debt, a large purchase or sale, or a real shift in living expenses.

Contested divorces can run for months or years between the complaint and trial. Finances rarely stay still. If you got a promotion, lost a job, inherited money, or took on a mortgage, update the form. Walking into a hearing with stale numbers hurts credibility.

Protecting Sensitive Information

Financial statements filed in Maryland family cases are automatically restricted in the court’s electronic system, so they do not show up in general public online searches. The parties, their attorneys, and the judge still have access.10Maryland Courts. Restricted Information Form

That default does not cover everything. If your statement contains Social Security numbers, tax identification numbers, or full financial account numbers, complete the Restricted Information Form and file both a redacted version and an unredacted version marked “to be shielded.”10Maryland Courts. Restricted Information Form Tax returns submitted as supporting documents get the same treatment.

What Happens If You Leave Things Out or Lie

Every financial statement includes a sworn affirmation that its contents are true to the best of your knowledge.6Maryland Courts. Maryland Judiciary Financial Statement Perjury in Maryland is a misdemeanor carrying up to ten years in prison.11Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Criminal Law Code 9-101 – Perjury Criminal prosecution out of a family case is rare, but the statutory ceiling is real.

The more common consequences play out inside the divorce. A court that finds deliberate concealment of assets or underreported income can adjust the property division in favor of the other spouse, order you to pay the fees the other side spent uncovering what you hid, hold you in contempt, or reopen the case after judgment if the fraud surfaces later. Credibility is the other casualty. A filer caught lying on the financial statement loses the benefit of the doubt on custody, support, and anything else still in play.