A man in Georgia received a summons to appear in Massachusetts for a child support hearing. He didn't have the money to travel to Massachusetts so the Court held a hearing without him. Since he didn't appear, the Court entered an order greater than his take home pay....
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Child Support
Revised Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines take effect on August 1, 2013
Massachusetts has revised the child support Guidelines with the new guidelines scheduled to take effect on August 1, 2013. The guidelines adjust the formula for child support and fills in some gaps. A summary of some of the changes follows: As a general matter, the...
What will the court do in a divorce when I prove that my spouse cheated?
Discovering that your spouse has been unfaithful can be an emotional disaster. To many people, this is a wrong that can never be corrected. It can destroy a marriage. People expect that infidelity will be punished by a Judge in a divorce and the innocent spouse will...
Does Massachusetts have a new standard for modification of child support?
A recent case in Massachusetts, Morales v. Morales, decided March 12, 2013 SJC # 11104 is described as changing the standard for modification of child support. While this is clearly an important case, in my opinion, it does not change the law. The traditional law of...
Single parent adoption
A recent case in Massachusetts addressed an issue that is frequently raised by parents who don’t want to pay child support and gave the same answer as always. In the case of ADOPTION OF MARIANO, 933 N.E.2d 677 (Mass.App.Ct. 2010) the father of a child wanted...
How much parenting time will result in a reduction in child support
I received a question from a parent who has the child for about one-third of the time. The parent was asking about reducing child support based on the amount of parenting time spent. Child support in Massachusetts is controlled by the child support guidelines. These...
My ex-spouse brought me back to court. Do I have to show my new spouse’s income on my financial statement?
A complaint for modification of child support will require both parties to file financial statements. The latest version of the financial statement has a line to show contribution from other household members. This would include a spouse or a roommate if they pay a...
What effect does remarriage have on child support?
In most cases, remarriage has no effect on a prior child support order. However, where the new spouse has high income or assets, this could be different. Child support is based on certain concepts. One of them is that each parent has to use their income for their own...
Unmarried parents can collect child support
I received an email from a woman who was told that she couldn’t get child support because she never married the father of the child. I don't know why she was told this. However, it is wrong advice. An unmarried parent can get child support if they can establish the...
Parents should exchange financial information on a regular schedule
In Massachusetts, a modification action to increase child support can be filed upon a material change of circumstances or every three years. A person receiving child support needs to know about the other parent's income or they are likely to file a modification just...
