Request a change to your child support court order

Learn how to request changes to your child support order with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Page updated November 24, 2021.

Contact Child Support Enforcement

The Details   of Request a change to your child support court order

What you need   for Request a change to your child support court order

Please review the CSE Modification Video for information about eligibility and filing a modification. 

You can ask for the Department of Revenue's (DOR) help if all of the following are true:

  • DOR is providing full services to collect and enforce your child support order.
  • You are the parent or caretaker who gets support or you are the parent who pays support.
  • Your request is just about child or health care coverage for the child and doesn’t involve parenting time or other issues.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Consider the amount of child support the court might order.
  • In Massachusetts, the court uses the Child Support Guidelines to determine the amount of a child support order.
  • You can get an idea of how much the court might order by using the online Child Support Guidelines Calculation Worksheet.
  • If you ask the court to change your order, the court may make the order higher or lower or may make no change at all.

You will need to send DOR paperwork that will help explain why the amount of your order should change.

Examples include copies of:

  • Military orders
  • Paystubs, bank statements, or income tax returns
  • Letter verifying you get public assistance benefits
  • Court order giving you custody of the child or children
  • Letters or documents verifying that you provide health insurance coverage for the child or children
  • Proof that you receive unemployment benefits
  • Proof that you receive Social Security or Veterans’ benefits
  • Workers’ Compensation award letters
  • Documents verifying that you have a disability or an injury

How to request   Request a change to your child support court order

You can ask the Department of Revenue to help you request changes to your child support order through the mail. You can:

  • Ask us for the request form.
  • Mail the forms and any other necessary documents to us at:

     DOR/CSE
     P.O. Box 7057
     Boston, MA 02204

More info   for Request a change to your child support court order

Once DOR gets your paperwork it will be reviewed along with any information which DOR has about the income and assets you and the other parent have. DOR will decide if it would be appropriate to ask the court for a change and:

  • If DOR can help you, DOR will send you a letter to tell you about the next steps.
  • If DOR can’t help you, DOR will send you a letter telling you that.
  • You can still go to court on your own to ask for a change even without DOR’s help.

Downloads   for Request a change to your child support court order

Contact   for Request a change to your child support court order

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