For dependable advice in determining your rights and responsibilities with respect to child support orders, contact us. We can help you resolve problems in establishing your right to receive child support or reduce your obligation to pay it.
The basic child support obligations in a divorce case or paternity proceeding are calculated from worksheets using formulas provided under the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines. The essential policy goals under the guidelines are to minimize the economic impact to the children when the parents live apart and, where applicable, to let the child share in the higher standard of living enjoyed by one or both parents.
The initial child support obligation payable by the noncustodial parent is determined from the incomes and expenses of both parents. The noncustodial parent's payment as calculated from the guidelines may even be reduced depending on a number of factors.
There are many situations in which the resolution of child support issues can be more complex than simply filling out worksheets to find the guidelines figure. An experienced family law attorney's advice can be extremely helpful in such cases as:
- Determining accurate income and expense figures for a parent who is self-employed or an independent contractor;
- Identifying or reviewing hardship claims relating to the care of an elderly parent, the care of other children, or the parent’s own medical condition;
- Paying for the child’s special needs, ranging from private school tuition to medical treatment not covered by insurance;
- Modifying child support obligations on the basis of substantially changed circumstances, such as a change in income of 15-20 percent or more.
In some cases, measures must be taken for child support enforcement. Our lawyers can advise you whether you need help collecting past-due payments, or if you need to resolve arrearages of your own.
For additional information about your rights in any child support situation, call (800) 910-DIVORCE or contact us for a no-obligation consultation at any of our offices – Dedham, Andover, Worcester, Springfield, Plymouth or on Cape Cod.
A Note From
Attorney Irwin M. Pollack
My business background gives me an advantage over other child support lawyers in dealing with cases that include unreported income when negotiating child support payments. I dig deep behind the numbers provided by the other party to see what the truth is so that fair and reasonable child support is provided to the dependent children.
For parents who are not receiving child support to which they are entitled, I can:
- File a Complaint for Contempt and have child support collected by garnishing wages, income deduction orders, and other methods to ensure child support comes directly out of the other party’s paycheck.
- Initiate judgments for past-due child support, including seeking levies against assets and liens on houses or other benefits.
- Create an orderly system of keeping people both current and accountable on support to provide a regular cash flow to meet the needs of the children.
I’ve also been known to seek child support modifications (revising obligations upward or downward) when there is a sufficient change in the payor’s financial circumstances.
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