Massachusetts: money rules on one page
The benefits, renting, unemployment and cost of living answers PayByTown has checked for Massachusetts, each with the rule people ask about most and the official source it comes from. Open a topic for the details and the calculator. Last checked .
Benefits
All of benefits- SNAP income limitsGross income limit200% of the federal poverty lineSource: Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance: SNAP, checked
- Medicaid & CHIP income limitsMedicaidExpanded: adults up to 138% of povertySource: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, checked
Renting
All of renting- Security depositsDeposit back within30 days after the tenancy terminatesSource: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B, checked
- Breaking a leaseTenant notice (month-to-month)1 rental period, ending with a rental periodSource: M.G.L. c. 186, § 12, checked
- Eviction noticesUnpaid rent notice14 days (pay or move out)Source: Mass. G.L. c. 186 § 11, checked
- RepairsTime to repair14 days; urgent: 24 hoursSource: G.L. c. 111, § 127L — Repairs by tenants to cure violations, checked
- Rent increasesNotice before a rent increase30 days / 30 days / 3 monthsSource: G.L. c. 186, § 12, checked
Unemployment
All of unemployment- Unemployment benefitsWeekly benefitup to $1,154, up to 30 weeksSource: DUA How unemployment insurance benefits are determined, checked
Cost of living
All of cost of living- Childcare costsCounties with prices14Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP) 2008-2022, county-level data file (NDCP2022.xlsx), checked
Each rule is published only after it passes our two-of-three source check. This page summarizes; the topic pages have the full rule, exceptions and every citation. General information, not legal or tax advice.