Want to share what you like about MassLegalHelp with us?

 

Child Support during COVID-19 Emergency

Produced by Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Reviewed July 1, 2020

Does COVID-19 change my child support order?

During the COVID-19 emergency, all orders for child support are still in force. Only a new court order can change that. Continue to follow your court order.

What if I lost my job and I need the court to change my child support order?

If you need your child support order to change right away, file a Complaint for Modification of Child Support and a Motion for Temporary Orders.

Write a statement that explains why this is an emergency.  A judge may decide it is not an emergency. See What if my case is not on the list of emergencies, but I think it is an emergency?

If you lost your job, you can ask the court to change your child support. The date you file a Complaint for Modification is important. Even if the judge does not review your case for several weeks, they can only change the support order back to the date you filed. When a judge reviews your modification case and decides to change the amount of child support, the order will start from the date you filed for a modification.

See:

How do I change a child support order?
What can I do if I need a court order right away?

Find Legal Aid

You may be able to get free legal help from your local legal aid program. Or email a question about your own legal problem to a lawyer.

Ask a Law Librarian

If it's
Monday-Friday
between
9am - 12pm and 1pm - 4pm