Massachusetts child support laws calculate support using the Child Support Guidelines, which weigh both parents’ incomes, the parenting schedule, and the child’s needs. Whether you are paying or receiving support, understanding how the calculation works helps you know what you are entitled to.

Porcello Law Offices helps Essex County parents establish, calculate, modify, and enforce child support orders, including cases involving self-employment income, college expenses, and parents who were never married. Getting the calculation right the first time protects your finances and your child’s stability for years to come.

Child Support Situations We Handle

Child support comes up in several different circumstances. Use the reference below to find where you stand.

Situation	What It Means
Support During Divorce	When child support is established as part of a Massachusetts divorce, alongside custody and parenting time.
Support for Unmarried Parents	For unmarried parents who must establish legal parentage before a support order can be entered (see below).
Modifying Child Support	For parents seeking to change an existing order because of a material change in circumstances (see below).
Custody and Parenting Time	For parents whose support case is tied to a broader custody or parenting time dispute.

How Massachusetts Child Support Laws Calculate Your Order

Massachusetts child support laws order support as part of care, custody, and maintenance decisions for minor children. ^[1]

Support is calculated under the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines, which weigh both parents’ gross incomes, the number of overnights each parent has with the child, health insurance costs, and childcare expenses. The Guidelines produce a presumptive support amount, though a judge may deviate from it for good cause shown in written findings.

Calculations become more complicated when a parent is self-employed or does not report all of their income. Our attorneys work with accountants and tax professionals to determine a parent’s actual take-home pay so the support order reflects real earning capacity, not just what appears on a tax return.

Child Support Beyond Age 18

Support does not automatically end when a child turns 18. Massachusetts child support laws allow courts to order continued support to age 21 if the child lives in a parent’s home and remains principally dependent on that parent for maintenance, with no requirement that the child be enrolled in school.

Support can extend further, to age 23, if the child is also enrolled in an undergraduate educational program. Graduate school, law school, medical school, and other post-baccalaureate programs fall outside this provision, and courts may also order parents to contribute to college tuition and related expenses.

Health Insurance and Other Support Obligations

Massachusetts child support orders generally require one or both parents to provide health insurance for the child whenever coverage is available at reasonable cost and reasonably accessible. Courts can also order a parent to cover uninsured medical expenses on top of the base support amount.

Modifying a Child Support Order

An existing support order is not permanent. A parent seeking to change one must show a material and substantial change in circumstances since the original order, such as a job loss, a significant income change, or a shift in the parenting schedule. Our child support modification attorneys can walk you through whether your situation qualifies and what evidence you will need.

Establishing Support for Unmarried Parents

When a child is born to unmarried parents, a support order cannot be entered until paternity is legally established, whether through a voluntary acknowledgment or a court proceeding.

Once paternity is established, unmarried parents have the same rights and obligations regarding child support as divorced parents, under a parallel statute using the same age thresholds and dependency standards. ^[2]

Enforcing a Child Support Order

When a parent falls behind on child support, Massachusetts allows enforcement through the Department of Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement Division, which can garnish wages, intercept tax refunds, and pursue other collection remedies. A parent who is owed back support, sometimes called arrears, can also pursue a contempt action in the Probate and Family Court.

Why Families Choose Porcello Law Offices

Porcello Law Offices is a second-generation, family-owned firm founded in 1976, and our attorneys bring more than 87 years of combined legal experience to family law matters across Essex County.

Family law in Salem is led by Jean G. Porcello-Giusto, one of our Massachusetts family law attorneys, who has practiced family law for more than 32 years and has represented clients before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

We give you a clear, honest read on what a support order should look like in your situation, and we prepare thoroughly whether your case resolves through agreement or in front of a judge.

Serving Salem, Gloucester, and Essex County

Porcello Law Offices represents child support clients from offices in Salem and Gloucester, Massachusetts, and serves families throughout Essex County, including Beverly, Peabody, Danvers, Marblehead, Newburyport, and the surrounding communities.

Family law matters are led out of the Salem office, while Gloucester primarily handles probate and civil litigation, though both locations serve families in Essex County.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question	Answer
At What Age Does Child Support End in Massachusetts?	Support generally ends at 18, but a court can extend it to 21 if the child lives with a parent and depends on that parent for support, and to 23 if the child is also enrolled in an undergraduate program.
How Is Child Support Calculated If a Parent Is Self-Employed?	Courts look at actual income rather than reported income alone. Our attorneys work with accountants to evaluate a self-employed parent’s real earnings, including business expenses that may not reflect true take-home pay.
Can Child Support Be Ordered for Unmarried Parents?	Yes. Once paternity is legally established, unmarried parents have the same child support rights and obligations as divorced parents under Massachusetts law.
What Happens If a Parent Does Not Pay Court-Ordered Child Support?	The Department of Revenue can enforce an order through wage garnishment and tax refund interception, and a parent owed support can also pursue a contempt action in the Probate and Family Court.
What Are the Basic Massachusetts Child Support Laws?	Massachusetts child support laws calculate support using the Child Support Guidelines, which weigh both parents’ gross incomes, the parenting schedule, health insurance costs, and childcare expenses. Support can continue past age 18 in some circumstances, and either parent can seek a modification if circumstances change materially.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation

You do not have to work out a child support calculation on your own. Our attorneys are ready to review your situation under Massachusetts child support laws and help you reach a fair, accurate order.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with one of our Massachusetts offices in Salem or Gloucester, or call Salem at 978-338-7854 or Gloucester at 978-224-5265 to speak with our legal team directly.

Sources

[1] Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 208, § 28 (Care, Custody, and Maintenance of Children; Support Past Age 18) | https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleIII/Chapter208/Section28

[2] Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209C, § 9 (Support Orders for Children of Unmarried Parents) | https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleIII/Chapter209C/Section9