Massachusetts Divorce Law Information
The following information is a resource on divorce law in the State of Massachusetts. You can find divorce lawyers and professionals, separation and divorce forms, child support calculators, and support groups. In addition to the resources listed below, you can find more help and information in our divorce article section.
ProfessionalsDivorce LawyersMediation Financial Analyst Financial Planning Divorce & Parenting Services Private Investigators Background Checks Divorce SupportSupport GroupsDomestic ViolenceShelters and Hotlines |
Divorce PapersDivorce and Separation FormsOnline Divorce Divorce Form Preparation QDRO Preparation Family Law ResourcesDivorce LawsChild Support Guidelines Massachusetts Child Support Calculator Child Support Enforcement |
* This site receives compensation from affiliate links and third party advertising. Listings in the Resource and Professional Directory does not imply an endorsement by this website. WomansDivorce.com makes no warranty and assumes no legal liability for any service or provider listed below. If you provide a divorce related service and are interested in being listed in this directory, click here.
DIVORCE LAWYERS AND FIRMS
Law Offices of Laura J. Cervizzi, P.C.350 Park Street Suite 201
North Reading, MA 01864
Phone: 978-276-0777
Gabrielle Clemens, JD, LLM
One Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-439-8527
Need a Divorce Lawyer?
LegalMatch allows you to present your case, and respond only to attorneys who want to help you. It's Free &
Confidential. You can post you legal issues with Legal Match and receive a reply
from qualified attorneys who can handle your case. Legal Match
is a good directory that empowers consumers to locate and
thoroughly review the experience, availability and price of
pre-screened attorneys before deciding whom to contact.
DIVORCE FORM PREPARATION
Have All of Your Documents Completed For You! This easy to use, accurate, and up-to-date on-line divorce service is a perfect "do it yourself (without a lawyer)" solution for any uncontested divorce (with or without children) that will be filed in the state of Massachusetts. You can get "Real Person" customer support by phone & e-mail, plus access to 40 downloadable books (valued at over $750). Start your Massachusetts divorce today.
QDRO PREPARATION
QdroDesk - is an industry proven online service providing divorcing spouses with an instant, easy, accurate, and affordable method for obtaining Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs), the appropriate settlement agreement language, and processing instructions to divide a retirement account upon divorce. The service is a result that only 45 years of combined QDRO experience can provide. When combining this expertise with a smart question and answer technology, QdroDesk has easily become the ideal solution for QDRO preparation.
MEDIATORS
Mediation Works IncorporatedFour Faneuil Hall - Fourth Floor
Boston, MA 02109-1632
Phone: 800-348-4888
Mediation is for couples seeking to define the terms of their divorce in less time, with less cost, and often with less hostility and fewer lasting negative effects. Mediation Works Incorporated is a non-profit organization offering a sliding fee scale to help make divorce mediation affordable for all Massachusetts residents.
CERTIFIED DIVORCE FINANCIAL ANALYSTS
McNamara Financial Strategies Group of Wachovia Securities
Timothy M. McNamara & Tracey Marie Manzi
130 Turner Street Bldg. #3, 8th Floor
Waltham, MA 02453
Area served: All counties within MA, RI, NH and VT
Phone: (781) 472-7838
Fax: (781) 472-7880
Email:
Timothy McNamara specializes in divorce finance. For the
past 15 years, he has helped individuals and couples going through a
transition navigate through complex financial issues. As a
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Timothy works closely with
attorneys, mediators and other professionals in all stages of the
divorce process.
He provides comprehensive analysis of the couple's assets, net worth
and can help either party determine the financial impact of any
proposed divorce settlement. Timothy, along with his partner
Tracey, can also assist individuals post divorce. Their firm
specializes in investment management, asset protection and other
integrated financial planning services.
Gabrielle Clemens, JD, LLM, CDFA
One Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-439-8527
Divorce Financial Planning Services
New England Divorce Solutions LLC
Boston, Massachusetts
New England’s only exclusive matrimonial finance practice. We specialize in guiding divorcing individuals through financial issues so they can arrive at an equitable settlement. New England Divorce Solutions provide clarity on complex financial issues that arise before, during, and after a divorce.
Gabrielle Clemens, Vice President, Wealth Management
Smith Barney
53 State Street, 39th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-589-3410
Fax: 617-227-9070
DIVORCE AND PARENTING SERVICES
Center for Divorce Education
1005 East State Street, Suite G
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-594-2526
Email:
Online parenting education to keep children out of the middle of divorce.
Christian Divorce Services
1217 Hilltop Ave
Fayetteville, NC 28305
Phone: 614-774-3766
Email:
We have locations in every state. When reconciliation has failed, we provide Christian legal alternatives consistent with 1Cor 6: 1-8. Please Contact Michael Wayland at our central office for a referral to a local office.
PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS
There are currently no private investigators for this state
BACKGROUND CHECKS
Instant Background Report - Find out date of birth and marital status, address history and aliases, criminal and court records, sex offender searches, property records, general public records, business registration and property resources. Find out the truth about anyone!
DIVORCE SUPPORT GROUPS
New Millennium Divorce Support GroupFor the Separated, Divorced
Meets Every Sunday from 7:00 to 9:00pm
St. Michael's School
15 Sixth Street, near Sixth and Bridge Streets.
Lowell, MA. 01851
Phone: (978) 957-2063
Divorce Care can help you locate a divorce support group in your area. There are thousands of DivorceCare support groups throughout the USA and Canada, and many groups meeting internationally as well.
Partners in Prevention provides consulting and psychological services to
domestic abuse survivors before, during and post divorce. Additionally, we serve
as consulting experts in both civil and criminal domestic violence cases. We
also offer continuing medical and nursing education in domestic abuse assessment
and clinical management to healthcare professionals. You can contact us at:
13918 E. Mississippi Ave
Aurora, CO 80012
Phone: 720-222-1058
Economic Empowerment For Women - BreakFreee.org is a non-profit organization offering free, unbiased, access to financial information and education to low to middle income women. Key features of the website include: Financial issues for divorcees, financial calculators, and a database of Frequently Asked Questions where you can submit questions and receive unbiased answers from financial planners.
60 West Olsen Road #3500
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Phone: 888-372-4155
Email:
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES
Domestic Violence Crisis and Support ServicesShelters and Hotlines
Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence for Massachusetts
DIVORCE LAW
Online Divorce LawsRESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: To file for a divorce in Massachusetts, a couple must live together in the sate as husband and wife. One of the spouses must be a resident of the state if the cause for divorce occurred within the state. If the grounds for divorce occurred outside the commonwealth, the plaintiff must have lived in this commonwealth for at least one year prior to filing for divorce.
WHERE TO FILE: Actions for divorce shall be filed in the county where one of the parties lives, unless one of the parties still resides in the county where the parties last lived together, the action shall be heard and determined in a court for that county. In the event of hardship or inconvenience to either party, the court having jurisdiction may transfer such action for hearing to a county in which such party resides. [Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 208-6]
LEGAL GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE: A divorce from the bond of matrimony may be granted on the following grounds:
- adultery
- impotency
- desertion for one year prior to the filing of the complaint
- alcohol or drug addiction
- cruel and abusive treatment
- willful neglect and refusing to provide suitable support and maintenance for the other spouse
- irretrievable breakdown of the marriage
- confinement for five years or more in a federal penal institution or in a penal or reformatory institution in this or any other state.
[Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts
Chapter 208-1 and 208-2]
LEGAL SEPARATION: Massachusetts recognizes legal separation, and
may make orders relative to the support of the
married person and the care, custody and maintenance of minor children.
The court may revise and alter such judgment or
make a new order or judgment as the circumstances of the parents or the benefit
of the children may require. [Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter
209-32]
PROPERTY DISTRIBUTION: Massachusetts is an equitable distribution state. In determining how property will be divided, the court shall consider the following factors:
- the length of the marriage
- the conduct of the parties during the marriage
- the age, health, station, and occupation of the spouses
- the amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability of each spouse
- the estate, liabilities and needs of each of the parties and the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income.
- the contribution of each of the parties as a homemaker to the family unit
- the contribution of each of the parties in the acquisition, preservation or appreciation in value of their respective estates
[Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 208-27, 208-34, and 209-1]
» Return to top
ALIMONY/MAINTENANCE/SPOUSAL SUPPORT: The court may order either
party to pay alimony. In determining the amount of alimony to be paid, the
court shall consider the length of the marriage, the conduct of the parties
during the marriage, the age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of
income, vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities and needs of each
of the parties and the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital
assets and income. In fixing the nature and value of the property to be so
assigned, the court shall also consider the present and future needs of the
dependent children of the marriage. The court may also consider the contribution
of each of the parties in the acquisition, preservation or appreciation in value
of their respective estates and the contribution of each of the parties as a
homemaker to the family unit. [Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts
Chapter 208-34]
SPOUSE'S NAME: The court may allow a woman to resume her maiden name or that of a former husband as part of the divorce proceedings. [Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 208-23]
» Return to top
CHILD CUSTODY: Custody may be awarded to either parent, and there shall be no presumption either in favor of or against shared legal
or physical custody. When considering the happiness and welfare of the
child, the court shall consider whether or not the child’s present or past
living conditions adversely affect his physical, mental, moral or emotional
health. If the parents mutually reach an agreement providing for
the custody of the children, the court may enter an order in accordance with
such agreement, unless specific findings are made by the court indicating that
such an order would not be in the best interests of the children. [Based on the
General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 208-31]
» Return to top
CHILD SUPPORT: In determining the amount of the child support
obligation, the court shall apply
the child support guidelines, with the rebuttable presumption that the amount of
the order which would result from the application of the guidelines is the
appropriate amount of child support to be ordered. The court may deviate from
the guidelines if the amount ordered would be unjust or inappropriate under
the circumstances. Such a deviation must include the specific facts of the case which justify departure from
the guidelines; and that such departure is consistent with the best interests of
the child.
Support may continue for a child who has attained age eighteen but who has not attained age twenty-one and who is domiciled in the home of a parent, and is principally dependent upon said parent for maintenance. The court may make appropriate orders of maintenance, support and education for any child who has attained age twenty-one but who has not attained age twenty-three, if such child is domiciled in the home of a parent, and is principally dependent upon said parent for maintenance due to the enrollment of such child in an educational program, excluding educational costs beyond an undergraduate degree. [Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 208-28]
PREMARITAL AGREEMENT: At any time before marriage, the parties may make a written contract providing that, after the marriage is solemnized, the whole or any designated part of the real or personal property or any right of action, of which either party may be seized or possessed at the time of the marriage, shall remain or become the property of the husband or wife, according to the terms of the contract. [Based on the General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 209-25] » Return to top