Maine child support guidelines
Maine uses an income-shares guideline under 19-A M.R.S. § 2006 — support is based on both parents’ incomes. This page explains it and links the official DHHS calculator; it doesn’t compute your amount.
How the Maine formula works
The guideline works in steps:
- Combine both parents’ gross annual incomes;
- Read the basic support entitlement from the Child Support Table for the number of children;
- Split it proportionally by each parent’s share of the combined income;
- Add health insurance, childcare, and extraordinary expenses.
The Child Support Table covers combined income up to $400,000/year; the official worksheet (Form FM-040) is the document filed with the court.
Shared care, the self-support reserve, and modification
Maine handles near-equal parenting with a specific rule: under § 2006(5)(D-1), when parents provide substantially equal care, the basic entitlement is multiplied by 1.5 to reflect two households and the higher earner pays the difference. A self-support reserve of about $22,800/year in gross income protects a low-earning obligor, below which the order may be reduced. Support runs to 18, or 19 if still in secondary school, and a recalculation 15% or more off the current order is a rebuttable presumption for modification under § 2009. Income can be imputed to a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed parent.
Use the official calculator
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services publishes the official Child Support Calculator and worksheet (linked above). Use it for an estimate; this page only explains the model. The court has final authority over the amount.
For a real case
The guideline amount is presumed correct but can be adjusted when it would be inequitable. For advice on your situation, consult a Maine family-law attorney.
Reviewed by Aqil Abbas Khan, Founder & Editor of ToolsNexus
This page is general information, not legal advice. Child support in Maine is set by Maine’s official guidelines, and the amount in any real case is determined by the court or the state child-support agency using the official worksheet — not by this page. Guideline figures, schedules, and adjustments change over time and depend on facts specific to your situation (each parent’s income, parenting time, health-insurance and childcare costs, and other factors a court may consider). Use the official Maine calculator for an actual estimate, and consult a licensed family-law attorney in Maine for advice about your circumstances. ToolsNexus is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
Sources
Last updated:
Frequently asked questions
- How is child support calculated in Maine?
- Maine uses an income-shares model under 19-A M.R.S. § 2006. It combines both parents' gross annual incomes, reads the basic support entitlement from the Child Support Table for the number of children, and each parent pays their proportional share of the combined income, plus their share of health insurance and childcare.
- What goes into the Maine formula?
- Both parents' gross annual incomes, the number of children, health insurance premiums, childcare, and extraordinary expenses. The Child Support Table covers combined income up to $400,000 a year; above that a court uses its discretion.
- How does shared (substantially equal) care change support?
- Under § 2006(5)(D-1), when parents provide substantially equal care, Maine multiplies the basic support entitlement by 1.5 to reflect two households, figures each parent’s share, and the higher earner pays the difference — so roughly 50/50 arrangements are handled with a specific enhanced formula rather than a plain offset.
- Is there a self-support reserve, and until what age is support paid?
- Yes. Maine protects a paying parent with a self-support reserve of about $22,800 in gross annual income, below which the order may be reduced. Support generally continues to age 18, or 19 if the child is still attending secondary school. A recalculation that differs by 15% or more is a rebuttable presumption for modification under § 2009.
- Where do I get an official estimate?
- Use the Maine DHHS Child Support Calculator (Form FM-040 worksheet) linked on this page. This page explains the model but does not compute an amount, and it is not legal advice.