Under Massachusetts law, both parents have a duty to support their child. Typically, following a separation or divorce, only one parent is considered the custodial parent. This is the parent who lives with and has primary care of the child. The support provided by the custodial parent is offered in the time and care given to the child. When families no longer live under one roof, sharing duties equally can be difficult. This is why
Divorce cases involving children often require a court decision regarding which parent should have physical and/or legal responsibility. Whether granted joint or sole custody, physical custody designates where the child will actually live. The parent who the child resides with most of the time is considered the custodial parent. The non-custodial parent may be required to provide for a child or children in the form of child support, which is paid to the custodial parent.
Child Support and Out-of-State Issues Whether one parent is living just over the Massachusetts border in New Hampshire but still commutes to Boston every day, or whether the one parent is living on the West Coast while the children live with the other on the South Shore, issues of state jurisdiction may come into play when seeking to modify a Massachusetts child support agreement. Changing Circumstances, Modifying Orders In Massachusetts, child support is governed either
Divorce is described as one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Add children to the mix, coupled with questions of custody, support, and visitation, and emotions and stress can reach a breaking point. Wading through this difficult time calls for the help of a professional such as a divorce & family law attorney who also understands laws specific to Massachusetts. Before you meet with an attorney, here are few pieces of information
In most cases, child support ends when a child becomes a legal adult and reaches the “age of emancipation”—typically age 18. However, when a child requires support for a college education, child support mandates change.
In a typical divorce involving children without joint custody, there will be one parent who pays child support. Normally, that parent would be the one who the child does not live with full time. The most common belief is that after the child turns 18, the child support ends.
When divorce terms are first put into motion, they are created to have the most fair circumstances for both parties and any children that may be involved.
It can be one of the toughest parental obligations to break it to your kids that their parents will no longer be living together.
There are three main ways in which child support can be paid. It is important to understand your options and to choose which method of paying child support works best for you and your family.
