The minimum wage in Massachusetts was recently increased to $12 an hour. It is expected to continually increase up to $15 an hour by the year 2024. The goal is to give the people of Massachusetts a livable wage, but with this change in income level will also come an increase in expenses. One’s child support obligation, for example, may increase.
According to a recent report, 840,000 individuals are expected to receive pay raises with the new minimum wage increase. Obviously, minimum wage earners are excited about the change, but business owners are worried about how this will impact their ability to hire, their customers and their bottom lines. The truth is, more than 840,000 workers may receive pay raises as employers will be pressured to increase the wages of their other hourly employees as well. Employers will need to make adjustments in their businesses to make up for the cost.
According to the state of Massachusetts, when an individual with a child support obligation experiences a pay increase, the other parent has the right to request a support increase. There are three ways that a modification can be achieved — through negotiations, a court hearing or by submitting a request directly to the Department of Revenue. Proof that the paying parent received an income increase is all that is needed for the courts or the DOR to approve a modification request.
At the end of the day, people just want their child support orders to be fair — whether they are on the paying or receiving end. Legal counsel can help one achieve a support order that is appropriate for his or her circumstances. The greater the parental income is, the greater the support obligation may be.
