When parents divorce, the court determines a child support arrangement based on the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines. These guidelines take a variety of factors into account, including ongoing needs and wellbeing of shared children, the income of both spouses...
A Brighter Future Is Within Your Reach
Year: 2020
How does amicable divorce help your child?
Massachusetts parents like you want to provide the best for your child. This remains true even if you and your co-parent decide to get a divorce. Above all else, you want to ensure that your child remains happy, healthy and safe. Is there any way to ensure that this...
Fear of injury and child custody
When it comes to establishing child custody, this is a particularly emotional facet of family law and some cases are very complex. For example, a child who has a mental illness or serious disability often has unique needs that require consideration during the custody...
Can you recognize parental alienation?
Children may become collateral damage during a Massachusetts divorce. If they feel caught between parents embroiled in a contentious uncoupling, they may suffer long-term psychological effects. In some cases, children become victims of parental alienation. This...
Social Security benefits after divorce
Many Massachusetts retirees rely heavily on Social Security benefits for income replacement even though Social Security is only intended to comprise about 40% of their retirement income. Individuals who relied on their spouse's income for years or even decades may...
How do you handle a child wanting to live with the other parent?
You and your former spouse found your stride with handling child custody. Recently, your daughter shared that she wants to live with the other parent. How do you handle the news? Before you do or say something you may regret, learn healthy responses to the news. Your...
Can you cancel a stepparent adoption during divorce?
You probably agreed to an adoption based on a relatively optimistic view of your family's future. Divorce mishandled, could turn that parent-child relationship into an unnecessary burden for all parties. It is possible, in some situations, for you to terminate...
Key differences in Massachusetts child custody laws
Child custody law is incredibly important. So much so that nearly all states in the U.S. follow the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA). Signed into law in 1997, the UCCJEA reduces child custody conflict between states, allowing courts to...
Should I seek sole custody?
By far, the most common child custody situation after a divorce is joint custody, also known as co-parenting. This is because children do best with both parents involved in their lives, even if the parents divorce. However, it is not uncommon to hold negative feelings...
Divorce planning for older individuals
When older adults in Massachusetts get a divorce, they face a potentially large impact on their finances and retirement plans. After years together, their asset situation may be complex. Since so-called "gray divorce" often happens near or after retirement, they may...