Massachusetts child support guidelines
Massachusetts uses an income-shares approach in its Child Support Guidelines — support is based on both parents’ incomes. This page explains the rules and links the official Trial Court worksheet; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the Massachusetts formula works
The Child Support Guidelines work in steps:
- Combine both parents’ available incomes;
- Apply the guidelines’ formula and chart for the number of children;
- Adjust for parenting time — the worksheet models either a primary schedule (about one-third time with the other parent) or a 50/50 split;
- Add health and dental insurance and childcare costs.
The Probate and Family Court publishes the official CJD 304 worksheet; the 2025 Guidelines took effect December 1, 2025, so an out-of-date worksheet will be wrong.
Older children, minimum orders, and modification
Three Massachusetts specifics are worth knowing. Support can continue for a domiciled, principally dependent child up to 23 while enrolled in an educational program, and children 18–23 not in high school get a 25% reduction (Table C); college contribution is separately at a judge’s discretion. Minimum orders protect low earners — capped at $15/week for a payor under $301/week and $33/week between $302 and $391. And Massachusetts lets a parent modify an order simply because it’s inconsistent with the current guidelines, without proving a separate substantial change — a lower bar than most states.
Use the official worksheet
The Massachusetts Trial Court (Probate and Family Court) publishes the official Guidelines and the CJD 304 worksheet (linked above). Use them for an estimate; this page only explains the model. The court has final authority over the amount.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed appropriate but can be adjusted with written findings. For advice on your situation, consult a Massachusetts family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Massachusetts is set by Massachusetts’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official Massachusetts calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Massachusetts for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
Sources
Last updated:
Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Massachusetts?
- Massachusetts uses an income-shares approach in its Child Support Guidelines. It combines both parents' available incomes, applies the guidelines' formula and chart for the number of children, and adjusts for the share of parenting time and for costs like health insurance and childcare. The 2025 Guidelines and the CJD 304 worksheet took effect December 1, 2025.
- What parenting-plan options does the worksheet use?
- The CJD 304 worksheet models two arrangements: one where the children live primarily with one parent and spend about one-third of their time with the other, and one where time is split roughly 50/50. Schedules between those two are handled by calculating both and considering the circumstances, which is one reason the official worksheet matters.
- How is support handled for children 18 to 23?
- Support can continue for a child who is domiciled with a parent and principally dependent, up to age 23 for a child enrolled in an educational program. For children 18–23 not in high school, the 2025 guidelines apply a 25% reduction (Table C). For college, a judge has discretion to order child support, a contribution to college costs, or both.
- Are there minimum orders, and when can support change?
- Yes — for a payor earning less than $301 a week the order is capped at $15 a week, and $33 a week for income between $302 and $391. Massachusetts is unusual in that a support order can be modified simply because it is inconsistent with the current guidelines, without proving a separate substantial change in circumstances.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines worksheet (CJD 304) linked on this page, published by the Trial Court. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.