The New Hampshire

Family Law Letter

Paying for College: Changes to New Hampshire Law

The New Hampshire Courts ability to ordered divorced parents to contribute to their offspring’s post secondary education has undergone a revolution since February, 2004.   The New Hampshire legislature changed the law to prohibit the Court from ordering such contributions. Read this article

Emerging law:

Court-Ordered Child Support

For anyone facing divorce and looking ahead at how life will change, its financial impact is a logical starting point. And for parents of minor children, child support will likely be a big part of the story. Read this article

Stock Options:

Nonrecurring gains like stock options count as income for calculating child support.

Child support payments in New Hampshire are determined based on the parents’ incomes according to Child Support Guidelines established by state law (RSA 458- C). Recent New Hampshire Supreme Court cases establish a clear rule in New Hampshire that nonrecurring income must be included for the purpose of calculating child support. In the Matter of Robert P. Dolan and Cathy L. Dolan, 147 N.H. 218 (2001) and In the Matter of Frederick J. Feddersen and Shelley Cannon, 816 A2d. 1033 (2003). This is important not only because such income can be substantial, but also because such a windfall might give rise to a “substantial change of circumstances” that could create a ground for a Modification of Order under the Guidelines (RSA 458-C:7). Read this article