Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines

Massachusetts child support calculated using Income Shares Model. Both parents income considered to determine fair support amount ensuring child needs met.

How Massachusetts Calculates Child Support

Income Calculation: Gross income from all sources including wages bonuses self-employment rental income unemployment disability. Excludes means-tested benefits like SSI TANF food stamps child support received.

Base Obligation: Combine incomes look up base amount on state schedule based on combined income and number of children. Amount prorated between parents based on income percentage.

Additional Costs: Add health insurance premiums covering child, work-related childcare costs, extraordinary medical expenses. Prorate by income share.

Custody Adjustment: Shared parenting time may reduce obligation accounting for direct expenses during custody. Threshold varies by state.

Duration of Support

Massachusetts child support continues until termination conditions met: child reaches age specified in order typically 18 or 19, child graduates high school, child emancipated through marriage military or self-support, child adopted, parent or child dies, court modifies or terminates.

Modification

Can modify with substantial change in circumstances: either parent income changes significantly typically 10-15 percent, change in custody or parenting time, change in health insurance or childcare costs, child needs change, other relevant changes. File motion with court demonstrating change.

Enforcement

Massachusetts enforces through: automatic income withholding from paycheck, tax refund interception federal and state, license suspension driver professional recreational, credit bureau reporting damaging credit score, contempt of court with jail time possible, property liens and bank levies, passport denial for arrears over 2500 dollars.

Self-Employment Income

Self-employed parent income calculated as gross receipts minus ordinary necessary business expenses. Courts scrutinize deductions prevent income manipulation. Personal expenses claimed as business added back. Depreciation often added back as non-cash expense.

Imputed Income

Court can impute income if parent voluntarily unemployed or underemployed without good cause. Based on work history education training, local job market available positions, physical mental ability to work. Good cause includes caring for very young child, verified disability, approved education increasing earning capacity.

Tax Treatment

Child support NOT tax-deductible for payor and NOT taxable for recipient. Paying support does not automatically grant right to claim child as dependent. Custody order or IRS tiebreaker rules determine dependent exemption.

Cost Information

Free Calculator: Massachusetts child support calculator instant estimates. Administrative: Through state agency minimal or no cost. With Divorce: Uncontested 1500-3500 dollars. Contested 5000-15000 dollars plus. Modification: Agreed 500-1500. Contested 2000-8000. Filing Fees: Vary by county typically 150-400 dollars.