Wellesley nonprofit, Jane Does Well, was featured in an op-ed in the Boston Herald on Sunday, January 17th, 2021. Jane Does Well, led by Lori Johnson and Christina Pavlina, compiled crucial research on child support in a brief that was submitted to the Massachusetts Trial Court’s Child Support Guidelines Task Force for their 2021 review of Child Support Guidelines.
In short, Massachusetts child support amounts are unjustly inadequate and are not meeting the needs of the commonwealth’s children. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that revokes a party’s right to alimony when they have children. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that sets adjustments to child support for multiple children 50% below national standards and adjoining state benchmarks. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that places a 15% cap on the non-custodial parent’s child support obligation for childcare and healthcare expenses.
Massachusetts Trial Court’s Child Support Guidelines Task Force invites the public to comment on the Child Support Guidelines for the Task Force's consideration ahead of its 2021 review. Public forums will be held on:
January 21, 2021, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
January 22, 2021, from 11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
January 26, 2021, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Click here to participate and make your voice heard.
The Task Force also encourages people to email written testimony or comments to childsupport@jud.state.ma.us by January 26, 2020. Please do not submit any written testimony or comments to Task Force members individually.
