Whether you are a parent considering divorce or you split up with your ex years ago and you have young children, it is very important to take a close look at child support. This area of family law often creates a lot of stress and confusion, and the consequences of failing to deal with child support properly can shatter one’s life.
Aside from carefully navigating your divorce and pursuing a fair child support order, you should go over various issues related to making payments if you owe or expect to owe support.
Child support payment options in Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts outlines various ways parents can make child support payments. Many child support payments are automatically deducted from a parent’s paycheck through an income withholding order. However, some parents do not have support withheld in this manner, and some parents have to find another way to pay support because their withholding order has not taken effect yet.
You can send payments to the Department of Revenue online, through the mail, over the phone and in person. You can set up a one-time payment or recurring payments on the state’s online portal once you register, or you can make payments with your credit card over the phone. You can pay support in person at various approved locations, and you can mail a money order or check to the state.
Important child support payment considerations
Do not directly pay support to your child’s other parent, since this could lead to you becoming listed as delinquent and facing penalties. Some child support payment methods result in convenience fees, and you should realize that it can take time for the state to process your payments. Regardless of how you pay support, make sure you stay current.
