The Supreme Judicial Court’s recent decision in the case of Cavanaugh v. Cavanaugh has had a major impact on how alimony and child support are calculated in Massachusetts family court cases. The court’s decision, which was issued in June 2022, has revised the way in which income is considered when determining support payments, and has introduced a new approach to calculating alimony and child support in cases where both elements of support are involved. One of the key changes brought about by the Cavanaugh decision is the inclusion of employer contributions to retirement as income when determining support payments. This decision has significant implications for those who are going through a divorce, as it will impact the amount of support that is paid. Those who are seeking support payments, or who are going through a divorce, should understand the implications of this decision and be prepared to consider the impact of employer contributions on their support payments. Calculating Alimony and Child Support Another important aspect of the Cavanaugh decision is the introduction of a new approach to calculating alimony and child support in cases where both elements of support are involved. Previously, child support was calculated first, which often made an alimony calculation unnecessary. However, under the Cavanaugh decision, alimony should be calculated first. This new approach involves adding the alimony payment to the payee’s income and subtracting it from the payor’s income, and then using these new incomes to run the Child Support Guidelines. In September 2022, the SJC