View Our Practice Areas Child Support Lawyer in Attleboro, Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, the court examines the incomes of both parents to determine the amount of child support the nonpaying parent is entitled to receive or the paying parent is obligated to pay. Your child-custody/visitation schedule can also affect child support payments if each parent has the child close to 50 percent of the time.
I've been a family law attorney representing clients in Attleboro and southeastern Massachusetts for more than 30 years. I provide a free initial consultation to answer your questions about our state's child support guidelines and how they apply to you.
Who Pays for Health Care Expenses?
Health care expenses are shared by both parents. If you are the parent who pays child support and you also pay for medical and dental insurance premiums, you can deduct 50 percent of the premium costs from your child support payments. If you are a custodial parent and pay health insurance costs, you are entitled to have 50 percent of the premium added to child support payments.
Is Child Support Tax-Deductible?
No. Child support is neither tax deductible nor taxable as income.
Can Child Support Be Changed After Divorce?
In Massachusetts, child support can be modified if either the paying parent or the recipient has a significant change in financial circumstances. Examples of a significant change include:
- Job loss
- An injury that prevents you from working for a period of time
It's important to seek a lawyer's advice if you have a change in circumstances. If you reduce child support payments without obtaining a modification through the court, you could be subject to a finding of contempt.
In addition to helping you increase or decrease child support, I can also help you seek a modification of child custody and visitation schedules.
How Are College Expenses Paid?
Many divorce orders simply say that both parents will pay for college expenses according to the best of their ability at the time. If you and your former spouse can't agree on who will pay what, we will go back to court to determine how much each parent will pay.
Free Attorney Consultation
Contact me, attorney Dennis Bisio, to schedule a free initial consultation to answer your questions about child support. In-home, evening and weekend appointments are available by appointment.
