Child support is a court-ordered payment from one parent to another to help with the cost of raising a child. The law requires both parents to contribute financially to the care of their children after separation or divorce. The amount is determined by a specific formula, and it takes into account each parent’s gross income, lifestyle, health insurance costs, and other expenses. It also considers the children’s needs and the ability of each parent to pay. Massachusetts child support laws protect children’s financial well-being after parents separate or divorce. This is the child’s legal obligation and right, but it can be difficult to get parents to pay what they owe. This is why it is important to understand enforcement methods for court-ordered child support.
Child support is an important issue in divorce cases involving children. Often, both parties must submit a completed Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Worksheet to the judge. This worksheet must include all income sources, including wages, bonuses, overtime, royalties, dividends, pensions, military pay, and social security benefits. A judge can adjust child support payments when either party experiences a significant change in circumstances. This may include a change in parenting time or an increase in parental income.
Massachusetts Child Support Eligibility
The amount of child support a parent must pay is determined by the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines. However, there is some discretion that the judge may consider if they feel the presumptive child support amount is inappropriate for the family’s situation.
The guidelines are based on the gross income of each party and the number of children to be supported. They also factor in certain expenses like the cost of health insurance and daycare, among other things. Child support typically ends when a child turns 18, but it can continue for longer under certain circumstances. If the child is attending college, extending support to age 23 may be possible. Navigating the process of adjusting child support can be difficult, especially for parents on either side of the issue. However, there are many resources available to make the process as smooth as possible.
The Massachusetts child support guidelines are updated every four years. The 2021 guidelines include several changes that will impact high-income families. These changes include a jump to the maximum application of the guideline formula, which now includes the first $400,000 of combined parental income.
The judge will only deviate from the guideline amount under certain circumstances. These include when a parent has nearly equal parenting time or both parties contribute financially to the child’s upbringing. Noncustodial parents are often ordered to pay child support, and the court can enforce this through a variety of methods, including income withholding, interest, suspension of driver’s license, federal tax offset program, and levies against assets.