Amaral and Associates PC

Protecting Your Legal Rights When Cohabitating With Your Significant Other

Recent studies show that “shotgun weddings” are becoming less popular as cultural norms become more progressive. Rather than marrying due to a pregnancy, couples are moving in together, not marrying, and raising the child as a family. However, when a couple lives together out of wedlock, they are not afforded the same rights and benefits…

Get Divorced for $1500.00

One of the greatest benefits of mediation is the cost. Please read the below column from a mediation client of another firm. Our firm can get you divorced for $1500.00. COLUMN-How I got divorced for less than $1,500 in legal fees By Tim McLaughlin Jan 9 (Reuters) – When my wife and I decided to…

How to Calculate Your Child Support

Under Massachusetts law, parents who are divorced or separated must continue to support their children. In Massachusetts, a parent’s child support obligation is calculated based upon the Child Support Guidelines. The Child Support Guidelines are a set of rules that dictate how to calculate a parent’s child support obligation, and what income must be included…

Streamlining the Child Support Modification Process in Massachusetts

In May 2013, the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court expanded Standing Order 3-11, which streamlines the child support modification process in Massachusetts. Through this Standing Order, parents can now complete more user-friendly forms to file for a child support modification with the Probate and Family Court, and also obtain a faster court date to obtain…

Paternity Issues in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, if a child is born out of wedlock, the child’s biological father is not deemed to be the child’s legal father, unless paternity is established. Establishing paternity is important for many reasons, and can be done in multiple ways. The easiest way to establish paternity is when the child is born, the child’s…

Same Sex Prenuptial Agreements

Massachusetts is one of twelve of states, along with the District of Columbia, which recognize same-sex marriage. Since 2004, same sex couples have had the right to marry in Massachusetts. Like their opposite-sex counterparts, same-sex couples can enter into a prenuptial agreement to protect their respective assets during the marriage. Contrary to popular belief, a…