Need an Attorney to Help With Extracurricular Activities and College Costs in Massachusetts?
Whether a parent must pay for a child to attend private school is a common dispute. Equally frequent are issues around the payment of college tuition. With college costs skyrocketing, parents are understandably concerned about paying for higher education.
Massachusetts Child Support Law Is Applied Locally, on a County-by-County Basis
There are close to 20 different divorce and family law courtrooms across Massachusetts. Because each courthouse operates slightly differently than the others, we assign each attorney to specific courthouses so that he or she is a familiar face and knows the preferences of the court personnel and judges. Our attorneys appear almost every day in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Middlesex Probate and Family Courts, and can anticipate how a particular court will respond to proposals related to paying for private school or college tuition. This gives our clients a home-court advantage.
At The Massachusetts Family Law Group, we also advocate for clients in matters arising from costs associated with after-school sports, specialized camps, and music lessons. Whether we are seeking additional payment for these costs or are defending a client against a request for payment, we look into a wide range of issues to arrive at a proposal that will be acceptable to the judge and the other party.
Questions About Tuition? We Help You Develop Answers
Issues in paying for private school, college tuition, and extracurricular activities include:
- What is a reasonable cost? Should the amount allowed for college tuition be the cost of a public college? What has been the parties' intent prior to divorcing?
- Appropriateness of the school for the child. If one parent wants the child to attend a math- and science-focused school and the child has never previously demonstrated aptitude in that area, should the other parent be required to pay?
- Availability of financial aid and the involvement of each parent in completing applications
- What needs to be covered? Does payment include just tuition or does it include room and board, books, computer and travel?
- The benefits the child will receive from the lessons, private school or college
Our lawyers use negotiation and other non-trial methods to resolve disputes about payment for college, private school and extra-curricular activities. We also help parents deal with these issues up front as much as possible to reduce conflict later on.
For more information about tuition and extracurricular activities, call a Boston child support attorney at (800) 763-1030. Or, send an e-mail to schedule a free initial consultation.
