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I want do divorce my wife. We talked about it before, but it is final in my mind. We have a 4-year old child. We live in MD, and she is also talking about moving to Pennsylvania. We both have family and friends in PA and MD. All else being equal, is it better financially for me to get a divorce in MD or PA? I heard MD has tough laws on Dads both financially and if she gets custody. Also, you must wait a year in MD before the divorce is final. How long must you live in PA before divorce can be started there?

Right now, your divorce must take place in MD. To divorce in PA, either of you must live there for 6 months to establish residency. As for getting custody, unless you are staying at home with the child while your wife works, good luck with custody in either state.

Is there an economic or custody advantage in either State?

Child support ends at age 19, or when a child graduates from high school, whichever occurs first, in both states.

MD often orders the person initiating divorce to pay both parties divorce fees (if they can afford it,as in they have a job).

It is easy to stretch out a divorce in PA, and they often order APL (temporary alimony) to the lesser earning parent. I've seen some cases stretched out to 3 years in PA just because of this.

Neither state will order college expenses paid.

Custody is the same in both states; whoever provided the majority of caregiving while married will get custody.

With that being said, PA will award shared custody if both parents are equally involved with the kids.
MD does not award shared custody, and it only occurs when both parents agree to it.