A divorce is a very tough time for anyone but if there are children involved it can truly be a nightmare. At the Law Office of Robert W. Kovacs we are here to help. As emotional and adversarial as divorce may be, we often hear that our client is worried that their ex might not be able to pay the court-ordered child support. We want to assure our clients that this worry should not be a concern of theirs. Worry about the children first. Over a period of several years, the Probate and Family Court has established and re-established guidelines to calculate the amount of child support that someone is able to pay.

The guidelines are really based on the child and what is in their best interests but parental considerations are also taken into account. Following is a list of some of these principles:

1. To minimize the economic impact on the child of the family breakup;
2. To encourage parental responsibility;
3. To provide the level of financial stability that the child once had when the family was intact;
4. To meet the child's basic needs but also to allow the child to live at the standard that is highest among the parents;
5. To take into account the non-monetary contributions and support of either parent;
6. To allow for orders or wage assignments as circumstances change.

There are several calculations involved but the bottom line is that there is always something that the child is entitled to. The court has said that $80/Month ($18.46/week) is the minimum order that the court shall enter. Don't hesitate to contact our office today to get the support that your child deserves.