Child Support

On December 1, 2025, the new child support guidelines went into effect. The guidelines apply to the first $450,000.00 of combined available income of the parents. The guiding principles outlined include, but are not limited to:

Promoting parental financial responsibility for children.

Meeting the child’s needs in the first instance, and, to the extent a parent enjoys a higher standard of living, allowing the child to enjoy that higher standard.

Minimizing negative changes to the child’s standard of living. 

Child Support Guidelines | Mass.gov

The child support guidelines broadly define income. The courts recognize that child support is for the children and alimony is for the recipient spouse. This means that in many cases, an analysis of alimony, child support and tax consequences must be conducted in order to reach an appropriate support number.