Calculating child support in Maine requires understanding state guidelines, completing specific forms, and applying formulas based on parental income and expenses. A Maine child support calculator simplifies this process by helping parents estimate support obligations before filing court documents. Whether you're establishing a new child support order, modifying an existing one, or preparing for a court hearing, understanding how to calculate child support accurately protects both your rights and your children's financial well-being.
What is a Maine Child Support Calculator?
A Maine child support calculator is a tool that estimates child support obligations based on Maine's Child Support Guidelines. These calculators use the same formulas courts apply when determining support amounts, incorporating factors like combined parental income, number of children, childcare costs, health insurance premiums, and extraordinary medical expenses.
The state provides official resources, including the Child Support Worksheet (Form FM-040) and the Maine Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations, the table courts use by default to calculate child support. The Department of Health and Human Services offers a self-calculating version of the child support worksheet that automatically performs calculations as you enter data.
How Maine Calculates Child Support
Maine follows the Income Shares Model, which determines support by calculating what parents would spend on children if living together as a family. This amount is divided proportionally based on each parent's share of the combined income.
The Basic Support Obligation
The calculation begins with determining the basic support obligation using these steps:
Step 1: Calculate Combined Income
- Determine each parent's gross annual income
- Add both incomes together for combined income
- Apply this figure to the Maine Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations
Step 2: Find Support Amount Per Child
- Use the Child Support Table to locate the weekly support amount based on combined income and number of children
- The table shows different amounts for children under 12 and children 12 and older (older children have slightly higher costs)
Step 3: Add Additional Expenses
- Child care costs (for children under 12)
- Health insurance premiums paid for the children
- Extraordinary medical expenses
Step 4: Divide Proportionally
- Calculate each parent's percentage of combined income
- Divide total support obligation according to these percentages
- The non-primary care provider pays their share to the primary care provider
Example Calculation
Consider a family with these circumstances:
- Three children living primarily with their mother
- Mother's gross annual income: $35,000
- Father's gross annual income: $35,000
- Combined income: $70,000
- Weekly childcare: $200
- Weekly health insurance (paid by father for children): $60
Using the child support calculator:
Calculation Step | Amount |
Mother's income share | 50% ($35,000 ÷ $70,000) |
Father's income share | 50% ($35,000 ÷ $70,000) |
Basic weekly support per child (from table) | $129 |
Basic support for 3 children | $387 |
Add weekly childcare | $200 |
Add health insurance | $60 |
Total weekly support obligation | $647 |
Father's proportional share (50%) | $323.50 |
Minus health insurance he pays directly | -$60 |
Father's weekly payment | $264 |
The mother provides her share ($323.50) through daily care and by paying childcare expenses directly. The father reimburses her for his proportional share of those expenses.
Required Forms for Child Support Calculation
To calculate child support accurately, you'll need to complete specific court forms available from any court clerk's office or the Maine Judicial Branch website.
Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050)
Both parents must complete their own Child Support Affidavit providing:
- Gross income from all sources
- Employment-related expenses
- Health insurance costs
- Support paid for other children
- Other relevant financial information
After completing the affidavit, sign it before a notary public, attorney, or court clerk. Exchange copies with the other parent and file the original with the court at least three days before the Case Management Conference. These affidavits are confidential in court files.
Child Support Worksheet (Form FM-040)
Only one worksheet needs completion and filing. This form:
- Designates the Primary Care Provider and Non-Primary Care Provider
- Calculates combined adjusted gross income
- Applies the Child Support Guidelines
- Determines each parent's proportional share
- Arrives at the final support amount
If you don't complete the worksheet beforehand, a magistrate may fill one out during your court conference using information from your affidavits. However, completing it yourself ensures accuracy and allows you to verify calculations.
Supplemental Worksheet (Form FM-040-A)
When parents provide substantially equal care, meaning both participate substantially equally in the child's residential, educational, recreational, child care, medical, dental, and mental health needs, you must also complete this supplemental worksheet.
The substantially equal care calculation is more complex, using "enhanced support" (basic support multiplied by 1.5) to account for maintaining two residences for children.
Using Online Child Support Calculators
Several online calculators help estimate Maine child support obligations:
Official DHHS Calculator: The Department of Health and Human Services provides a self-calculating child support worksheet that automatically performs calculations as you enter financial data. This tool follows the same formulas courts use.
Third-Party Calculators: Various websites offer Maine child support calculators. While these provide quick estimates, they may not account for all factors or recent guideline changes. Always verify calculations using official forms.
Calculator Limitations: Online calculators provide estimates but may not reflect:
- Complex custody arrangements
- Income imputation for voluntarily unemployed parents
- Deviations from guidelines
- Very low or very high income situations
Special Calculation Situations
Low Income Considerations
Maine's Child Support Guidelines include special provisions for low-income obligors:
Very Low Income (below $16,800 annually): Support obligations are capped at 10% of gross income, though courts may increase this based on earning potential.
Shaded Area on Support Table: For incomes falling in the shaded low-income area of the table, support may be calculated using only the obligor's income rather than combined parental income.
Caring for Child Under Age 2: Parents not working because they're caring for a child under two are generally considered unable to work, and courts won't order them to pay child support during this period.
High Income Deviations
When combined annual income exceeds $400,000, courts may deviate from standard guidelines as extraordinarily high income situations may warrant different calculations.
Substantially Equal Care
When parents share physical custody nearly equally, the calculation changes significantly:
- Enhanced support figure is calculated (basic support × 1.5)
- Divided proportionally between parents
- Higher-income parent pays the lower-income parent
- Amount is the difference between their proportionate shares
- Adjustments made for childcare, health insurance, and medical expenses
What Gross Income Includes
Understanding gross income is essential for accurate child support calculation. Gross income includes:
- Wages, salaries, and tips
- Commissions and bonuses
- Self-employment earnings (after limited business deductions)
- Disability payments
- Military pay
- Pensions and retirement income
- Investment income and interest
- Rental income
- Alimony received from a former spouse (not the other parent)
- Value of fringe benefits (company car, housing)
- Unemployment benefits
- Workers' compensation
Gross income does NOT include:
- Child support received for other children
- Public assistance (TANF, SSI, SNAP)
- Means-tested benefits
Adjustments and Credits
The child support worksheet provides credits for:
- Support Paid for Other Children: Obligors paying support for children from other relationships receive credit, reducing their available income for current calculation.
- Other Children in the Household: Credit for costs of raising other children living in the obligor's home.
- Childcare Expenses: Both parents receive credit for childcare costs they pay directly. The total is then divided proportionally.
- Health Insurance: Premiums paid specifically for the children's coverage are credited to the paying parent and divided proportionally.
- Extraordinary Medical Expenses: Ongoing, significant medical costs not covered by insurance are factored into calculations and divided proportionally.
When to Recalculate Child Support
Life circumstances change, and you should recalculate child support when:
Time-Based Reviews: After three years from the original child support order, either parent can request recalculation without showing changed circumstances.
Substantial Changes (before 3 years): If less than three years have passed, you can file a motion to modify if:
- Income changes would result in 15% or greater change in support amount
- Custody arrangements change significantly
- Childcare costs increase or decrease substantially
- Health insurance costs change dramatically
- The child develops ongoing medical needs
How to Request Recalculation:
- Through the court by filing a Motion to Modify
- Through the DSER Case Review Unit by calling 1-800-371-7179 or writing to the Case Review Unit
Using Calculators for Enforcement
If you're receiving child support and believe the paying parent isn't meeting their obligations, use a child support calculator to:
- Verify the current order reflects accurate calculations
- Determine if income changes warrant modification
- Prepare documentation for a Motion to Enforce
- Assess whether to involve the Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery (DSER)
The Division of Support Enforcement can help enforce child support orders through income withholding, license suspension, and other mechanisms.
Step-by-Step: Calculating Your Support
Step 1: Gather Financial Information
- Recent pay stubs or W-2 forms
- Tax returns if self-employed
- Documentation of other income sources
- Health insurance premium statements
- Childcare cost receipts
- Medical expense documentation
Step 2: Complete Child Support Affidavit
- Fill out Form FM-050 with accurate income information
- Include all sources of gross income
- Document expenses eligible for credits
- Sign before a notary, an attorney, or a court clerk
- Exchange with the other parent
Step 3: Use a Calculator or Worksheet
- Enter combined annual income
- Input the number of children
- Add childcare costs
- Add health insurance premiums for children
- Add extraordinary medical expenses
- Review the calculated basic support obligation
- Verify proportional division
Step 4: Complete Child Support Worksheet
- Transfer calculator results to the official Form FM-040
- Double-check all calculations
- Ensure math aligns with guidelines
- File with the court before the Case Management Conference
Step 5: Review and Adjust
- Verify calculations match your situation
- Consider whether deviations apply
- Consult with a family law attorney if calculations seem incorrect
- Be prepared to explain financial circumstances at the court hearing
Resources for Child Support Calculation
Maine Judicial Branch Website: Access official forms, instructions, and the child support table at courts.maine.gov
DHHS Self-Calculating Worksheet: Use the official Department of Health and Human Services online calculator at maine.gov/dhhs
Pine Tree Legal Assistance: Free legal services organization offering guidance on child support calculations at ptla.org
Court Clerk Offices: Local district court clerks can provide forms and basic procedural information
Courthouse Assistance Projects: Trained volunteers at many Maine district courts help complete forms and answer questions
DSER Contact Information:
- Phone: (207) 624-4100
- Voice Response System: (800) 371-7179 or (207) 624-7830
- Online: Through Health and Human Services website
Maine Child Support
A Maine child support calculator provides valuable estimates for child support obligations based on the state's Income Shares Model and official guidelines. By accurately calculating combined income, applying the basic support obligation from Maine's support table, adding childcare and health insurance costs, and dividing proportionally, parents can determine fair support amounts before filing court documents. Whether you're establishing a new child support order, preparing for a modification, or verifying current payments, using a child support calculator in conjunction with official forms like the Child Support Affidavit and Child Support Worksheet ensures accurate calculations that serve your children's best interests while treating both parents fairly.