How Does the Growing Gig Economy Affect Divorces in Massachusetts?

The gig economy, otherwise known as freelance work, in Massachusetts has been growing at a significant pace over the last decade. The pandemic and the ensuing boom in digitalization have further accelerated the growth of the gig economy to such an extent that experts believe that it might become the new norm for working-class people.

While gig economy workers enjoy certain advantages that people with full-time jobs do not, they might also face certain challenges in other areas. A profound example is divorce. Divorce cases involving gig economy workers tend to be more complicated due to the unique nature of gig work. If you are a part of the gig workforce and planning to file for divorce, you need a divorce lawyer who understands the gig economy and the challenges it presents to separating couples.

At Davis Law Group, we have a highly skilled legal team, led by family law attorney Jay Davis, who can provide you with compassionate and effective legal representation and protect your rights and interests. We have extensive experience in handling divorce cases, including cases involving gig economy workers in Massachusetts. We are prepared to go the extra mile to help you achieve the most favorable outcome possible in your divorce and other family law matters.

Challenges in Divorce Cases Involving Gig Economy Workers

When one or both of the spouses happen to be gig workers, calculating the amount of spousal support and child support to be paid can be a challenge.

Issues with Multiple Streams of Income

Many gig workers tend to have multiple streams of income, many of which might not be reliable. It can make it harder for the court to calculate the amount of spousal support and child support to be paid. Particularly, if the individual in question works in an industry where cash payments are common, determining the amount of spousal support and child support that is commensurate with the family’s lifestyle might be difficult.

Fluctuations in Income

The income of a gig worker might fluctuate constantly — depending on the nature of their job and the industry they work in. For instance, if the individual in question is an Airbnb host, a vast majority of their rental income might come in during summer. These kinds of drastic fluctuations in income year to year can make it harder for the court to determine a baseline income — based on which spousal support and child support can be calculated.

Issues with Hiding Income

The nature of gig work, particularly in industries where cash payments are common, can make it easier for people to conceal their income. A spouse might try to conceal a portion of their income in order to reduce their alimony and child support obligations. THis type of misconduct is particularly common in more contested divorces.

Leading Massachusetts divorce attorney Jay Davis and our team at Davis Law Group have a strong network of finance professionals, forensic accountants, and other experts. We will find out if someone is hiding or under-reporting their assets or income in a divorce. We have been through the legal battlefields before — we know how to overcome the challenges in cases such as these.

If your spouse is a gig worker and if you suspect that they might be hiding their income in order to reduce their spousal and child support obligations or hiding assets during property division, we can investigate and establish the facts in order to protect your financial rights.

Issues with Predicting Future Income

One of the issues with gig work is that it is impossible to predict whether an individual’s income might remain the same or whether the individual might remain employed for the foreseeable future. It can complicate the process of determining long-term spousal and child support arrangements.

Determining the Appropriate Number of Gigs for a Person

When a person deliberately remains unemployed or underemployed in order to avoid paying spousal support or child support, the court usually decides the amount of money the person can earn based on their qualifications and employment history.

With gig work, it can be difficult, since gig work usually involves varying hours and the pay can differ from one gig to another and from one season to another. As a result, the court might find it difficult to decide how many gigs the person should take in order to earn a sufficient amount of income to meet their spousal and child support obligations.

Experienced and Trustworthy Massachusetts Divorce Lawyers are Ready to Help You

When resolving divorce and other family law issues, it’s vital to consider all possible legal options and outcomes. The Massachusetts divorce lawyers at Davis Law Group, led by top-rated family law attorney Jay Davis, know that the outcome of a divorce case can not only impact the lives of the couple involved, but their children as well.

In most cases, we first try to resolve complex divorce and family law matters through negotiation and achieve an outcome that can benefit all the parties involved. At the same time, our legal team is fully prepared to litigate your case if it is the only option left, and achieve the best possible outcome.

To discuss your divorce case with experienced and compassionate Massachusetts divorce attorney Jay Davis, call us today at (617) 752-6216 or contact us online and schedule a free consultation.