Legal Question in Family Law in Massachusetts
I live in Massachusetts and am trying to modify my child support payment. I can no longer afford my lawyer and can recall his saying that once my wife and I have our baby, that additional dependent calculates into my obligation to my ex-wife. I just don't know the formula and can't find this somewhat new law anywhere online. To complicate matters, I lost 1/3 of my hours at work and am a state contract teacher who will be laid off come July. Oh, and my out-of-pocket health insurance increases almost $300 with the arrival of our new boy. If you're aware of Mass Law, any guidance would be most appreciated. Thanks.
2 Answers from Attorneys
You may have misunderstood your former attorney. There is no new law that says that child support necessarily decreases upon the birth of a new child (although it may). However, if a person's income is cut back/off involuntarily, that will qualify for a reduction (assuming they are paying more than the minimum).
Here is the online calculator: https://wfb.dor.state.ma.us/DORCommon/Worksheets/CSE/Guidelines.aspx
Make sure you carefully read the hyper-linked items, such as child care and health insurance costs, so you'll know which expenses qualify and should be included in the formula. Best of luck.
Having another child does not automatically modify your child supprot obligations, although it may have some effect on your overall expenses. Your child support obligations will ultimately be determined according to the child support guidelines. If you would like new counsel to see you through your modification, please feel free to give our office a call.
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