Establishing Support
Guidance when support is first being set in a divorce, paternity, or separate support case.
Hingham Child Support Lawyer
Child support guidance focused on your children and your finances.
Child support affects your monthly budget and your children's stability for years. Caldeira Law, P.C. helps parents in Hingham, across the South Shore, and throughout Massachusetts establish, change, and enforce child support orders.
More than 25 years of family law experience. Practical advice. Careful preparation. Personal representation.
25+ Years ExperienceFormer SJC Law ClerkGuardian ad LitemAdjunct Professor
Understanding child support
The numbers matter, and so do the details behind them.
Massachusetts sets child support using the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines, which consider both parents' incomes, the parenting schedule, and certain expenses such as health insurance and child care.
The guidelines are a starting point, not the whole story. Questions about what counts as income, how to treat self-employment or bonus income, whether income should be attributed to a parent who is not working to capacity, and when a deviation is appropriate can significantly change the result.
A careful review of the financial picture often matters as much as the calculation itself.
Start with clarity
A consultation can help you understand:
- How the guidelines may apply to your family
- What income may be included or disputed
- Whether an existing order may be out of date
- Options for enforcing unpaid support
- Documents to gather before taking action
Child support representation
Child support matters Caldeira Law handles.
Child support issues arise during divorce, between parents who were never married, and long after a judgment enters.
Guideline Calculations
Review of incomes, parenting time, and expenses that drive the guideline amount.
Complex Income
Self-employment, business ownership, commissions, bonuses, and other income that is harder to measure.
Modifications
Requests to increase or decrease support when circumstances change.
Enforcement
Options when court-ordered support is not being paid as required.
Post-Secondary Expenses
Support and college-related expenses for older children, where appropriate.
Questions about support?
Get clarity before you sign an agreement or file in court.
A consultation can help you understand what the guidelines may produce in your situation and what issues may be worth raising.
Experience matters
More than 25 years of family law experience.
Attorney Charlene A. Caldeira brings more than 25 years of experience representing clients in Massachusetts family law matters. Her background includes service as a law clerk to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, court-appointed work, teaching, and continuing legal education.
That depth of experience informs how Caldeira Law approaches child support: understanding the law, identifying practical solutions, and preparing carefully for every stage of the matter.
Meet Charlene CaldeiraThe process
How a child support matter may proceed.
Every case is different. Understanding the general stages can make an unfamiliar process more manageable.
Review
Understanding your family, the parenting schedule, and any existing orders.
Financial Analysis
Gathering and analyzing income, health insurance, child care, and other relevant information.
Negotiation
Seeking an agreement where possible, with careful attention to how the terms are written.
Court When Necessary
Presenting your position to the Probate and Family Court when agreement is not possible.
Hingham & the South Shore
Representation close to home.
Caldeira Law is based in Hingham and represents family law clients throughout the South Shore and Massachusetts, including individuals from Cohasset, Scituate, Norwell, Hanover, Weymouth, Quincy, Braintree, Milton, Hull, Marshfield, Duxbury, Pembroke, and surrounding communities.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions.
How is child support calculated in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts uses the Child Support Guidelines, which consider both parents' incomes, the parenting arrangement, and certain expenses such as health insurance and child care. The court may deviate from the guideline amount in some circumstances.
How long does child support last in Massachusetts?
Child support often continues until a child turns 18, but in certain circumstances it can continue longer, including for some older children who live with a parent or are enrolled in school.
Can child support be changed?
Yes. An existing order may be modified when there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances or when the current order no longer fits the guidelines. Support changes generally take effect only after a request is filed, so it can be important not to wait.
What can I do if child support is not being paid?
Options may include filing a complaint for contempt in the Probate and Family Court and, in some cases, enforcement through the Massachusetts Department of Revenue's Child Support Enforcement Division.
Does shared parenting time affect child support?
It can. The parenting schedule is one of the factors considered under the guidelines, and the specific arrangement may affect how support is calculated.
This information is general and is not legal advice. Every situation is different.
Your next step
Start with a conversation.
Whether you are setting support for the first time, need an existing order changed, or are dealing with unpaid support, a conversation can help you understand your options.
Caldeira Law, P.C. · 99 Derby Street, Suite 200 · Hingham, MA 02043