Children have the right to receive financial support from their parents regardless of the circumstances. As a result, child support and child support concerns are important to understand. Parents likely have concerns so they should know what to expect from the child support process.
Child support is a court-ordered payment that a parent must pay for the support of their child. Child support orders can be developed in different ways. In some circumstances, they may be agreed to by the parents and in others they may be established through the family law process and the family law court. The child support process in Massachusetts is administered by the Department of Revenue.
As part of the child support process, it may be necessary to locate a noncustodial parent, establish paternity, establish support obligations, the collection and distribution of support and the enforcement of child support obligations. State child support guidelines are used to establish child support. Various factors are also considered including the income of each of the parents; child care expense; the cost of medical insurance; the living arrangements of the child; and any social security benefits the child may receive.
Child support is important for children, parents and families who should understand how child support is established, calculated, modified and enforced. Because of the important role child support plays in the lives of many children, it is essential to understand how the child support process works and the different legal resources available to families to help them with it.
