1 Child
~20%
2.0pp above average
Data updated September 2026
2021 guideline data Income Shares model OCSE FY2023 source
Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines
Massachusetts publishes a 20% one-child starting rate under Income Shares - higher-third among 51 recorded schedules. The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations.
- 20%
- 1-child base rate
- #4 of 51
- base-rate rank
- #21
- enforcement caseload rank
- 82.7%
- cases with order
$1,484/mo
One-child base rate at Massachusetts's median income
20% of $89,026, the Census ACS 2022 median household income for Massachusetts, divided across twelve months, 56% above the median state. An index for comparing states, not a case estimate: guidelines apply to the obligor's income, or to combined parental income under the Income Shares model, and a court sets the actual order. How this is derived.
OCSE guideline posture brief
Massachusetts Title IV-D posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from NCSL guideline tables and OCSE FY2023 preliminary reporting (P-52 caseload, P-4 collections, P-64 order share) - not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- 20% published one-child starting rate #4 of 51
- Income 43 jurisdictions share this model
- 82.7% caseload with support order (OCSE P-64) #42 nationally
- 190,285 Title IV-D caseload (OCSE P-52) #21 by volume
- $2,962 distributed collections per case (our calc)
- Alaska nearest rate peer (Δ 0.0 pts)
- 2021 guideline vintage on registry
One-child rate neighbourhood
Published starting percentages among the nearest rate peers (snapshot September 2026).
Income Shares · INC · MID
National context
Where Massachusetts's one-child starting rate sits
Each bar counts states with a published one-child base rate in that 3-point band. Massachusetts's higher-third 20% mark is highlighted. Counts are exact from the 51-jurisdiction dataset.
Massachusetts's 20% published one-child base rate is higher than 42 of 51 recorded state rates. The comparison describes guideline starting percentages, not a complete child-support estimate. Massachusetts sits in a higher-rate band on this histogram.
Source: State guideline records, 51 jurisdictions with published one-child base rates
2 Children
~28%
2.3pp above average
3 Children
~35%
3.7pp above average
4 Children
~40%
4.8pp above average
Income Cap
None
uncapped
Higher one-child starting rate
Massachusetts in the higher-rate third
Massachusetts's published 20% one-child base sits in the higher third (#4 of 51).
Massachusetts publishes a 20% one-child starting rate under Income Shares - higher-third among 51 recorded schedules. The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations. Unlike capped states, the formula applies to full reported income before deductions. Nearest one-child rate peer: Alaska at 20% (Δ 0.0 pts). Massachusetts allows a parenting-time adjustment when the non-custodial parent exercises substantial overnight time. A percentage figure alone does not determine the dollar amount - compare Massachusetts to other guideline models →
On OCSE FY2023 tables, Massachusetts ranks #42 of 51 on order-establishment share and #21 by caseload volume (~$2,962 distributed per case, our calc on P-4/P-52). Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report.
How Massachusetts Calculates Child Support
Massachusetts uses the Income Shares model. Both parents' incomes are combined, the total obligation is looked up from a schedule, then split proportionally based on each parent's income share. Its one-child base rate is in line with the national middle range. That higher-third starting rate is the schedule's open before deviations.
Income Shares model. Combined income approach with parenting time adjustment.
Massachusetts guideline parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula Model | Income Shares |
| Income Floor | None |
| Income Ceiling | Uncapped |
| Parenting Time Adjustment | Available |
| Median Household Income | $89,026/yr |
| Single-Child Base | 20% (rank #4 of 51) |
Not legal advice for Massachusetts: figures here are published-guideline estimates only. Actual orders can differ under judicial discretion, deviation factors, and the current Massachusetts schedule. Consult a family law attorney licensed in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Child Support Enforcement
190,285
Active Cases
$563.6M
Annual Collections
82.7%
Cases with Orders
$2,962
Collected per case (our calculation)
Massachusetts vs national average (51 reporting states)
Cases with orders 82.7%
national
82.7% of Massachusetts's caseload has a support order established; average across the 51 jurisdictions 86.6%.
Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report, Tables P-52 (caseload), P-4 (distributed collections) and P-64 (cases with orders)
D
State Support Program Score
46/100
Massachusetts
Based on order-establishment rate, per-case collection efficiency, and calculator access from federal OCSE and Census ACS data, not the guideline percentage itself, case outcomes, or any individual family's experience.
Order Establishment F
82.7%
Share of caseload with a support order in place (OCSE Table P-64); 51-state range 80.5%-93.8%, median 86.6%
Collection Efficiency A+
$2,962/case
Dollars collected per enforcement case per year (OCSE Table P-4); 51-state range $1,522-$2,922, median $2,131
Income-Adjusted Collections C
3.33% of median income
Collections per case relative to state median household income (OCSE + Census ACS); 51-state range 2.39%-4.24%, median 3.16%
Calculator Access F
Not published
Whether the state publishes an official online support calculator
Interactive Calculator for Massachusetts
The Massachusetts interactive calculator is being finalized. Use the official state calculator below for your estimate.
Official MA CalculatorNearest one-child rate peers
Closest published starting percentages to Massachusetts's 20% (MID band) - model stamps INC/PCT/MEL, not an A-Z clone list.
Read our methodology - how Massachusetts guideline and OCSE figures on this page are sourced.
Data sources for Massachusetts
Guideline parameters from Massachusetts statutes and published schedules; enforcement columns from HHS OCSS FY2023 Preliminary Report (P-52 / P-4 / P-64). See methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainChildSupport for Massachusetts.