Child Support Calculations in Maine

Maine uses the Income Shares model under 19-A M.R.S. §2006, combining both parents' incomes to determine child support. Whether you're navigating an uncontested or contested divorce, understanding Maine's unique "substantially equal care" rules and the 1.5× enhanced support calculation is essential.

The Income Shares Model

Maine determines support by combining both parents' gross incomes, finding the per-child weekly amount in the official Child Support Table (FM-084), and allocating the total proportionally by income.

• Combined income cap: $400,000/year (table amount is a floor above this)
• Self-Support Reserve: $22,800/year (embedded SSR in table)
• Poverty-level cap: 10% of weekly gross if below federal poverty guideline
• Table format: Weekly per-child amounts; multiply by number of children

What Counts as Gross Income

Under 19-A M.R.S. §2001, gross income includes:

• Employment income: Wages, salary, overtime, commissions, bonuses, severance
• Self-employment: Gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary expenses
• Benefits: Pensions, Social Security/SSDI, workers' compensation, disability, unemployment
• Investment income: Interest, dividends, capital gains, trust/annuity income, net rental income
• Spousal support: From a preexisting order (not from this case's other parent)

Exclusions and Deductions

• Excluded: TANF, SSI, SNAP, general assistance, child support received for other children
• Deducted: Preexisting spousal support and child support obligations
• Imputation: Courts may impute income if voluntarily unemployed/underemployed (with caregiver exceptions for children under 24 months)

Step-by-Step Calculation

1. Calculate each parent's annual gross income
2. Combine incomes: Add both parents' gross incomes together
3. Find table amount: Look up the per-child weekly amount in FM-084
4. Multiply by children: Per-child amount × number of children = basic support entitlement
5. Add add-ons: Child care + health insurance + extraordinary medical
6. Allocate by income share: Each parent pays their percentage of combined income
7. Apply credits: For amounts paid directly (insurance, child care)

Add-Ons to Basic Support

• Child care: Work/education-related costs for children under 12
• Health insurance: Incremental cost to add children (or self-only vs. family difference)
• Extraordinary medical: Recurring uninsured costs over $250/child/year (orthodontia, therapy, etc.)
• Nonrecurring medical: Over $250/year divided by income share when they arise

Need a Deeper Analysis?

The calculator above gives you a quick estimate. For a comprehensive analysis covering add-ons, shared-care adjustments, and deviation factors, get your full Maine child support analysis here. For official state worksheets, use the Maine DHHS Child Support Worksheet.

Substantially Equal Care (1.5× Method)

Maine's "substantially equal care" standard is qualitative—not just overnight counts. It requires both parents to participate substantially equally in the child's total care (residential, educational, recreational, medical, childcare).

Equal Incomes + Equal Care

If parents have substantially equal care AND equal incomes, neither pays support to the other. They split add-ons 50/50.

Unequal Incomes + Equal Care (Enhanced Method)

1. Calculate enhanced support: Basic entitlement × 1.5
2. Allocate by income share: Each parent's enhanced obligation
3. Apply "lower-of" test: Higher earner pays the lower of (a) difference between obligations, or (b) their presumptive amount under the standard primary-residence method
4. Share add-ons: Proportionally by income

Split Primary Residence

When each parent has primary residence of at least one child:

• Compute separate obligations: Each parent's theoretical support for children with the other
• Net the amounts: Higher obligation parent pays the difference
• Add proportional shares: Of child care and insurance

Low-Income Protections

• SSR zone ($22,800 or less): Table's SSR cell controls the obligation regardless of combined income
• Poverty-level cap: If below federal poverty guideline, weekly support capped at 10% of weekly gross
• Public assistance suspension: If obligor receives TANF, obligation temporarily suspended under §2302(2)

Duration of Support

• Standard termination: Age 18
• High school extension: If still in secondary school at 18, continues until graduation/withdrawal or age 19 (whichever first)
• College support: Not mandated by Maine law (parties can agree)
• Disabled adults: No statutory obligation (but Maine enforces other states' valid orders under UIFSA)

Modification Standards

Under 19-A M.R.S. §2009:

• 15% variance rule: If order is <3 years old, a 15% difference from guidelines = substantial change
• 3-year review: After 3 years, tribunal reviews and modifies without requiring change showing
• Exception: If original order was a deviation, 15% variance isn't automatic substantial change
• Retroactive only to service: Modifications apply from date other party receives notice

Enforcement Tools

Maine DHHS/DSER and courts can enforce through:

• Immediate income withholding: All orders include automatic withholding (+$2/week extra)
• Garnishment limits: 50-65% of disposable earnings (federal CCPA limits)
• License suspension: Driver's, professional, and recreational licenses
• Contempt proceedings: Court-imposed sanctions for nonpayment
• Tax intercepts: State and federal refund interception

Interest on Arrears

Maine does NOT automatically charge interest on parent-to-parent arrears:

• DHHS-owed debt only: 6% simple interest on support debt owed to the State (assigned/public assistance cases)
• Private arrears: No automatic interest—if reduced to judgment, post-judgment interest (Treasury rate + 6%) may apply if court includes it

Common Calculation Mistakes

• Confusing overnight counts with "substantially equal care": Maine uses a holistic, qualitative standard
• Forgetting the 1.5× enhanced calculation: Required for equal care with unequal incomes
• Not applying the "lower-of" test: Higher earner pays the lesser of two computed amounts
• Using combined income for SSR cases: When payor is in SSR zone, use the table's SSR cell directly
• Expecting automatic arrears interest: No statutory interest on private arrears
• Missing add-ons: Child care, insurance, and extraordinary medical must be added separately

Key Takeaways

• Income Shares model: Both parents' incomes combined, allocated proportionally
• $400,000 combined income cap: Table provides a floor above this
• $22,800 SSR: Low-income payors use SSR cell amounts
• 1.5× enhanced support: For substantially equal care with unequal incomes
• "Lower-of" test: Limits what higher earner pays in shared care
• Add-ons separate: Child care, insurance, extraordinary medical added to base
• 15% modification threshold: Substantial change if <3 years old
• 3-year automatic review: No change showing required after 3 years
• No automatic arrears interest: Only 6% on debt owed to DHHS
• Duration: Age 18, or graduation/19 if in high school

For more information about Maine divorce processes, see our Maine divorce timeline and filing checklist. For property division information, review our Maine marital property guide.