Child support in Maine is set by an income-shares formula that uses both parents’ earnings, collected in most cases through automatic wage withholding by the Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery (DSER), and backed by enforcement tools that range from tax refund intercepts to license suspensions and passport denial. Both biological and adoptive parents owe support regardless of whether they were ever married, and the obligation continues until the child turns 18 (or graduates high school, up to age 19).
How Maine Calculates the Payment Amount
Maine uses an income shares model. The court adds both parents’ incomes together, looks up the combined figure on the state’s child support table, and splits the resulting obligation in proportion to each parent’s share of the total.1Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2006 – Support Guidelines A parent who earns 65% of combined income covers 65% of the child’s calculated need.
The formula also factors in childcare costs, health insurance premiums paid for the child, and extraordinary medical expenses. The parent who carries the child’s health insurance gets credit in the calculation, which can lower their direct payment.
The noncustodial parent — the one without primary physical custody — makes the payments. The custodial parent is presumed to meet their share through the daily costs of housing and caring for the child. When a third party such as a grandparent has custody, the court can order both biological parents to pay.
What Counts as Income
Maine defines gross income broadly. It includes wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, pensions, interest, dividends, trust fund distributions, Social Security, disability, workers’ compensation, and capital gains. Self-employment income counts as gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary business expenses.2Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2001 – Definitions Expense reimbursements and in-kind payments count when they reduce a parent’s personal living costs. For service members, that typically means housing and food allowances are included.
When Income Is Imputed
A parent who is voluntarily unemployed or working below their earning capacity may have income imputed, meaning the court assigns a figure based on what they could reasonably earn.2Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2001 – Definitions A parent providing primary care for a child under 24 months old is presumed unavailable for employment, so no income is imputed. For a parent caring for a child between 24 months and 12 years, the court weighs anticipated childcare and work-related costs before deciding whether to impute. An incarcerated parent is considered available only for whatever employment the facility offers.
Shared Custody Adjustments
When both parents provide substantially equal care, Maine applies a different calculation that recognizes both households are absorbing direct costs. The statute does not fix this by an overnight percentage — the court looks at residential time, education, childcare, medical needs, and recreation together.1Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2006 – Support Guidelines Parents complete a Supplemental Child Support Worksheet, and the higher-earning parent generally pays the other the difference between their respective obligations.3Maine Judicial Branch. Child Support in Maine Two equal earners sharing care equally pay each other nothing and simply split childcare, insurance, and uninsured medical costs.
How Payments Are Made and Received
Most child support in Maine moves through income withholding. DSER sends a withholding order to the paying parent’s employer, and the employer deducts the amount from each paycheck and forwards it to DSER.4Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 22 3816 – Income Withholding Employers must comply; ignoring a withholding order carries penalties.
Parents without traditional employment can pay through DSER’s online system by bank transfer, credit card, or debit card. Money orders and checks are accepted. Payments made outside official channels, such as cash handed directly to the other parent, generally do not count toward the obligation unless documented and court-approved. Keeping every payment inside the official system is what protects the paying parent.
Receiving parents can take payments by direct deposit or on a federal Electronic Payment Card that functions like a prepaid debit card. The card option matters for parents without a bank account.
Federal law requires a $35 annual fee for enforcement services in cases where the custodial parent has never received public assistance and at least $550 has been collected. The fee is withheld from collected support rather than billed separately.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 654 – State Plan for Child and Spousal Support Once a year, expect a payment to look $35 short.
What Happens When a Parent Falls Behind
DSER’s enforcement tools escalate. They start with routine collection measures and move quickly to consequences that reach a parent’s paycheck, license, credit, and travel.
Tax Refund Intercepts
State and federal tax refunds can be seized for past-due support. A case qualifies for federal intercept once arrears reach $500, or $150 if the custodial parent receives public assistance.6Administration for Children and Families. When Is a Child Support Case Eligible for the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program? Maine state refunds can also be intercepted. A parent who owes back support and is expecting a refund should assume that money is going to the child first.
License Suspensions
Maine courts can suspend a delinquent parent’s driver’s license, revoke professional or occupational licenses, and revoke hunting, fishing, boating, and other recreational permits. Before ordering suspension, the court must find that the parent has the ability to pay some or all of the support owed.7Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2603-A – License Revocation for Nonpayment of Child Support The court can also block issuance or renewal. Reinstatement requires both a court order and a fee paid to the Secretary of State.
Passport Denial
A parent who owes more than $2,500 in past-due support will be denied a U.S. passport. State agencies certify qualifying cases to the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, which passes them to the State Department.8Congressional Research Service. The Child Support Enforcement Passport Denial Program New passports and renewals are both blocked until the debt is resolved.
Credit Reporting, Bank Garnishment, and Contempt
Overdue support can be reported to credit bureaus, which affects loans, housing, and some employment. DSER can garnish bank accounts and other financial assets beyond wage withholding. In serious cases, DSER can pursue contempt of court, and a judge may impose fines or jail time for willful nonpayment. A parent who genuinely cannot pay is treated differently from one who chooses not to.
Changing a Support Order
Support orders are not permanent. Either parent, or DSER, can file a motion to modify when circumstances change.9Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2009 – Modification of Existing Support Orders
Maine uses a numerical trigger. If recalculating support under the current guidelines produces an amount more than 15% different from the existing order, that counts as a substantial change of circumstances. For orders less than three years old, the 15% variance is required. For orders three years old or older, the court reviews without requiring proof of changed circumstances and modifies if the guideline number differs from the current order.9Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2009 – Modification of Existing Support Orders
Common reasons to file:
- A job loss, significant raise, or new disability affecting earning capacity.
- A custody shift, including the child moving primarily to the other parent or a change in a shared arrangement.
- Increased medical, educational, or childcare costs for the child.
The motion is filed with the court or DSER depending on whether the original order was judicial or administrative, and tax returns and pay stubs are required. If both parents agree, they can submit a joint agreement for court approval, which is faster. If they disagree, the court sets a hearing. Simply paying less without court approval creates arrears, even when the reason is legitimate.
When Child Support Ends
Support normally runs until the child turns 18. If the child is still enrolled in high school and making satisfactory progress at 18, support continues until graduation or age 19, whichever comes first.1Maine State Legislature. Maine Code Title 19-A 2006 – Support Guidelines Courts can order continued support for adult children with disabilities who cannot become financially independent.
Support can end earlier if the child is legally emancipated through marriage, military service, or a court order. A parent who believes the obligation should end early must file a motion and provide evidence. A child choosing not to live with the custodial parent does not automatically terminate the obligation, and neither does turning 18 while high school is ongoing. Until a court formally ends the order, payments are owed and unpaid amounts continue to accumulate as enforceable debt.
Taxes and Bankruptcy
Child support has no tax consequences on either side. The receiving parent does not report it as income, and the paying parent cannot deduct it.10Internal Revenue Service. Alimony, Child Support, Court Awards, Damages
Child support debt cannot be eliminated in bankruptcy. Federal law classifies it as a domestic support obligation, non-dischargeable under any chapter.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 USC 523 – Exceptions to Discharge A Chapter 13 filer must include a plan to repay 100% of child support arrears over the life of the plan. Filing bankruptcy also does not pause or reduce ongoing support. The debt follows the parent until it is paid.