Child Support in Massachusetts

Where to start

Your first step depends on what you already have. Some parents already have a court order but need payments collected. Others need to establish parentage first. Some need a change because income, custody, health coverage, or child care costs changed.

Quick reference for Massachusetts parents

How Massachusetts child support is set

Massachusetts child support is based on the child support guidelines. The court uses the guidelines worksheet to estimate the amount. The amount is not based only on what the other parent earns. The worksheet looks at both parents’ income and other facts.

Income is broad. The 2025 guidelines include wages, tips, overtime, self-employment income, commissions, bonuses, unemployment, workers’ compensation, pensions, certain Social Security benefits, rental income, investment income, and other sources. The guidelines also say means-tested benefits such as TAFDC, SNAP, and SSI are not counted as that parent’s income.

The worksheet can include health insurance, dental or vision insurance, child care costs, the number of children, and the parenting-time pattern. A judge can order a different amount in some cases, but the court must have a reason. The rules also allow deviation in special situations, such as ongoing extraordinary needs, high parenting-time costs, very low income, or facts that make the worksheet amount unfair or not in the child’s best interest.

If your case involves divorce, alimony, self-employment, cash work, overtime, disability benefits, more than two legal parents, college costs, or a child over 18, get legal help before relying on a simple estimate. Start with child support basics and then use official Massachusetts forms.

If parentage has not been established

Parentage means the legal parent-child relationship. If the other parent is not legally established, Massachusetts has two main paths. Parents may sign a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage, or someone may ask the court to establish parentage.

Signing an acknowledgment can be simple when both parents agree, but it has legal consequences. A court case may be needed if there is disagreement, if testing is requested, or if the facts are complex. Massachusetts updated parentage forms for some cases in 2025, including forms for establishing parentage and de facto parentage.

If there are threats, abuse, sexual assault, coercion, stalking, or fear that the other parent may harm you or your child, speak with SafeLink or a legal aid office before starting contact. Our safety help guide may help you plan who to call first.

How to apply for help or file in court

You have two common paths. You can ask DOR Child Support Services to help, or you can file directly in Probate and Family Court. Many parents start with DOR because DOR can help locate a parent, establish parentage, get an order, collect payments, and enforce support. You can enroll with DOR online, by mail, or through listed contact options.

You can also file in court. The court’s get an order page explains which complaint may be needed. If the parents were not married and parentage is not established, the case may start with a parentage complaint. If parentage is already established, the filing may be for custody, support, and parenting time.

Use the court’s court locations page to find the Probate and Family Court that serves your county. If you cannot afford filing fees, ask the court clerk about an affidavit of indigency. If you need help choosing forms, ask a Court Service Center, legal aid, or an attorney. Do not file forms you do not understand just to move faster.

For a fuller paperwork list, use our documents checklist. For financial forms, the court keeps financial statement forms. The short form is generally used when annual income is under $75,000 before taxes; the long form is generally used when income is more than $75,000.

Payments, direct deposit, and enforcement

Support is often paid through DOR. In many cases, the paying parent’s employer withholds support from wages and sends it to DOR. DOR then sends the payment to the parent or caregiver who receives support. Parents who receive support can manage payment history and direct deposit through DOR’s receiving support page.

If payments stop, DOR may use enforcement remedies when a case meets the criteria. These can include wage withholding, bank levies, tax refund intercepts, and license suspension. The RMV may suspend or revoke a license, right to operate, or registration for failure to pay child support owed through DOR.

Enforcement is not instant. Keep a simple log of missed or partial payments, notices from DOR, court dates, and any information you learn about the other parent’s job or address. If you need food or rent help while waiting, look at SNAP help, Massachusetts housing help, and local resource help.

Changing, ending, or reviewing a child support order

A child support order does not change just because parents agree in a text message, one parent loses a job, or the child starts living somewhere else. The court order stays in place until it is changed by the court. If DOR is involved, DOR may be able to review the case and ask the court for a change. If DOR cannot help, it should send a letter, and you may still be able to ask the court on your own.

The 2025 guidelines say a support order may be modified if the amount under the current guidelines is inconsistent with the existing order, if health coverage changes, if health coverage is no longer reasonable, if new health coverage becomes available, or if another material and substantial change has happened.

Common reasons to ask for review include job loss, a large change in income, a change in parenting time, new health insurance, loss of health insurance, new child care costs, a child aging out of the order, or a child’s needs changing. Bring proof. Examples include pay stubs, tax returns, public assistance proof, unemployment proof, disability or injury documents, health coverage documents, and custody orders.

Massachusetts support may continue after age 18 in some cases. The state’s support after 18 page and state law explain that support can continue in certain situations for a child who is dependent and living with a parent, and up to age 23 when specific education-related conditions apply. Do not stop paying or assume payments will stop without checking your order and getting legal help.

Public benefits, safety, and legal help

If you receive TAFDC, child support rules can be different. Most people who receive TAFDC must cooperate with child support, unless a good-cause reason applies. Legal aid explains that the state may keep most support paid while you receive TAFDC, while the first $50 per month in current support may be sent to the family. Read the TAFDC support rules before you count child support as income you will receive directly.

If cooperation could put you or your child at risk, ask DTA, DOR, or a legal aid advocate about good cause. This can matter when there has been domestic violence, threats, or other safety concerns. You can also read our family safety help guide.

If support is not enough to cover basic needs, look at other help at the same time. For child care, see Massachusetts child care and our national child care guide. For broader state help, use Massachusetts assistance. Child support is only one part of a family budget.

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