Same-sex couples often face extra hurdles in the divorce process. Many have found ending their marriage can be more expensive, time-consuming and complicated than it is for their heterosexual counterparts. These challenges can be especially prevalent when same-sex...
Protecting Individuals, Families And Children Every Step Of The Way
Child Support
Modifications of divorce in Massachusetts
Every divorce is different. As circumstances change, your divorce agreement may need a divorce modification. Once approved by the judge, your divorce agreement becomes an order of the court. Even if both parties agree to a change made in the agreement, it may be wise...
Let’s talk about child support payments
As a parent, you would do anything for your child. During your marriage, you and your wife or husband worked diligently to not only raise them the right way, but to make sure that the relationship you shared with your significant other was in the best shape that it...
Closely watched: same-sex divorce case focused on child support
It's an easy case from the perspective of the litigant who initially brought it and is now seeking to prevail on appeal.That individual is a former spouse in a dissolved same-sex marriage who wants all her current legal duties owed as a parent to a child born to her...
Seven Changes To Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines
There are new child support guidelines that have been in effect in Massachusetts since September 15 of 2017 These changes are not retroactive, and so if you already have an order in place, you don't need to worry. But if a child support order will be a part of your...
Here is what you need to know under the new 2017 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines…
Massachusetts Family Law Attorney, Lisa A. Ruggieri, describes what you need to know under the new 2017 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines.Under Massachusetts Law, the Child Support Guidelines must be reviewed every four (4) years by a task force to determine...
Paternity and child support: an instructive case
We stress in today's blog post what might be reasonably termed as a slippery slope regarding paternity, which is often a fundamentally -- and sometimes, as noted below, contentious -- family law matter.As a lead-in to a news story that recently chronicles a flatly...
Three ways to maximize your back-to-school shopping power
If you have been paying attention to recent commercials or the change in displays at Target or Wal-Mart, the back-to-school shopping season is in full swing, even though we haven’t touched August 1st yet. Retailers want to get out in front of the...
Can you modify your alimony and childcare payments?
Your divorce was finalized a while back – alimony and child support payments were calculated based on your salary and ability to pay. But circumstances have changed, and you cannot afford the payments you used to make. Are you legally required to carry out these...
Ensuring your children receive fair child support after divorce
If you are divorcing and valuable assets are part of your divorce, you already understand how complicated the issues can be. These assets affect child support, with the amount of payments determined in part by the income of both parents. Adding to the issue is the...