How to Modify Child Support in Maine
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Maine · Last updated September 21, 2026
In Maine, a child support modification is a District Court or agency decision that changes an existing child support order after a substantial change in circumstances, and the state gives that phrase a concrete meaning: if a new guideline calculation would vary more than 15 percent from your current order, the court treats that gap as a substantial change (19-A M.R.S. 2009). Child support in Maine follows a statewide guideline tied to both parents' gross income (19-A M.R.S. 2006), so a job loss, a raise, or a new parenting schedule can push the current amount out of line. You have two paths. You can file a Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042) with the District Court that issued your order, attaching a Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050), or you can ask the Maine DHHS Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery (DSER) to review your order if it manages your case. A change can be made retroactive only to the date the other parent is served with notice of your petition, not to when your circumstances changed, so support that already came due cannot be wiped out (19-A M.R.S. 2009). Once three years pass, you can ask for a review without showing any change. Keep paying your current order until it is changed. Attorney review of your filing is available through DocDraft.
Find out where you stand in Maine
Where are you with changing your child support order?
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How do I modify child support in Maine?
File a Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042) with the Maine District Court that issued your order, and attach a Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050). If the Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery manages your case, you can instead ask it to review your order. You must show a substantial change of circumstances (19-A M.R.S. 2009).
How much does the amount have to change to modify child support in Maine?
If a new guideline calculation would vary more than 15 percent from your current order, Maine treats that as a substantial change of circumstances (19-A M.R.S. 2009). For an order less than three years old, the court then modifies it under the guidelines. After three years, no change of circumstances need be shown.
How far back can a child support change go in Maine?
A modification can be retroactive only to the date the other parent was served with notice of your petition to modify, not to when your circumstances changed (19-A M.R.S. 2009). Support that already came due cannot be reduced, so serving promptly protects you. Keep paying the current order in the meantime.
Who handles child support modifications in Maine?
The Maine District Court that issued your order handles a Motion to Modify. If the Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery manages your case, you can instead request an order review through that agency. Both recalculate the amount using the statewide child support guideline (19-A M.R.S. 2006).
Maine child support modification at a glance
In Maine, a child support modification is a change to an existing support order, granted by the District Court or through a Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery review after a substantial change in circumstances. Maine quantifies that phrase: a new guideline calculation that varies more than 15 percent from your current order counts as a substantial change (19-A M.R.S. 2009), and once three years pass you can seek a review with no change shown at all. Support follows a statewide guideline tied to both parents' gross income (19-A M.R.S. 2006). You file a Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042) with a Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050), or ask DSER to review your case. A change reaches back only to the date the other parent is served with notice of your petition, so support that already came due cannot be reduced (19-A M.R.S. 2009).
Lowering a Maine order after a pay cut
Suppose a Maine order set three years ago no longer fits because your hours were cut, and a fresh guideline calculation comes out more than 15 percent below your current amount. Because that gap counts as a substantial change of circumstances (19-A M.R.S. 2009), you complete a Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042) and a Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050) and file them with the District Court that issued the order. You have the other parent served right away, since a change reaches back only to the date of service (19-A M.R.S. 2009), and you keep paying the current amount until the court rules. The court recalculates under the guideline and signs a lower order. Attorney review of your filing is available through DocDraft.
Relevant Laws
19-A M.R.S. 2009 (modification of a support order)
Provides that child support orders may be modified retroactively but only from the date that notice of a petition for modification has been served upon the opposing party, and that a variation of more than 15 percent from a guideline calculation under section 2006 is a substantial change of circumstances, with review after three years requiring no showing of change.
19-A M.R.S. 2006 (support guidelines)
Sets out Maine's statewide child support guideline, which combines both parents' annual gross income and applies it to the child support table to determine the basic support entitlement, the figure used to test whether a modification is warranted.
19-A M.R.S. 2007 (deviation from child support guidelines)
Allows a court or hearing officer to deviate from the guideline amount when applying it would be inequitable or unjust; when an order was set as a deviation under this section, the automatic 15 percent variation presumption for modification does not apply.
Maine Judicial Branch self-help: child support
The Maine courts self-help page explains how child support is calculated, which forms to use including the Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050) and Child Support Worksheet (Form FM-040), and how to file a motion to change a support order.
Regional Variances
Maine child support modification rules at a glance
Qualifying threshold
A new guideline calculation that varies more than 15 percent from your current order is a substantial change of circumstances (19-A M.R.S. 2009). After three years, the court reviews the order without any showing of change. The presumption does not apply to orders set as deviations under 19-A M.R.S. 2007.
Where to file
The District Court that issued your order handles a Motion to Modify. If the Maine DHHS Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery (DSER) manages your case, you can instead request an order review through that agency.
Modification form
A Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042) with a Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050), and usually a Child Support Worksheet (Form FM-040). The Maine Judicial Branch posts these forms and instructions free on courts.maine.gov.
Retroactivity
A modification can reach back only to the date the other parent is served with notice of the petition, not to when circumstances changed, so support that already came due cannot be reduced (19-A M.R.S. 2009).
Periodic review
Once three years pass since the order was issued or last modified, you can ask for a review without showing a change, and DSER can review IV-D cases on request, consistent with the federal three-year review interval.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Estimate the new guideline amount
Before you file days after startingGather current pay stubs and tax returns for both parents, estimate the statewide guideline amount (19-A M.R.S. 2006), and check whether it varies more than 15 percent from your order (19-A M.R.S. 2009). Attorney review of your filing is available through DocDraft.
Complete the Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042)
As soon as your circumstances change days after startingFill out Form OTH-042 asking the court to change child support and describing what has changed since the last order. Use the free Maine Judicial Branch forms and instructions on courts.maine.gov.
Prepare the Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050)
Before you file days after startingComplete Form FM-050 with your current income and expenses, and a Child Support Worksheet (Form FM-040) showing the guideline calculation, so the court can recalculate the amount under the statewide guideline (19-A M.R.S. 2006).
File with the District Court
Promptly (relief dates to service) days after startingFile your Motion to Modify and Child Support Affidavit with the clerk of the District Court that issued your order, and ask about a fee waiver if you cannot afford any required fee. The clerk schedules your matter for the court.
Serve the other parent
Right after filing days after startingHave the other parent served with your filed motion and file proof of service. A modification can reach back only to the date of service, so serving promptly protects any reduction you are seeking (19-A M.R.S. 2009).
Attend the hearing or request a DSER review
On your scheduled date days after startingBring your income proof so the court can recalculate support under the guideline and sign a new order (19-A M.R.S. 2006), or request an order review if DSER manages your case. Keep paying the current order until it is changed.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate the new guideline amount | Gather current pay stubs and tax returns for both parents, estimate the statewide guideline amount (19-A M.R.S. 2006), and check whether it varies more than 15 percent from your order (19-A M.R.S. 2009). Attorney review of your filing is available through DocDraft. | - | Before you file |
| Complete the Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042) | Fill out Form OTH-042 asking the court to change child support and describing what has changed since the last order. Use the free Maine Judicial Branch forms and instructions on courts.maine.gov. | - | As soon as your circumstances change |
| Prepare the Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050) | Complete Form FM-050 with your current income and expenses, and a Child Support Worksheet (Form FM-040) showing the guideline calculation, so the court can recalculate the amount under the statewide guideline (19-A M.R.S. 2006). | - | Before you file |
| File with the District Court | File your Motion to Modify and Child Support Affidavit with the clerk of the District Court that issued your order, and ask about a fee waiver if you cannot afford any required fee. The clerk schedules your matter for the court. | - | Promptly (relief dates to service) |
| Serve the other parent | Have the other parent served with your filed motion and file proof of service. A modification can reach back only to the date of service, so serving promptly protects any reduction you are seeking (19-A M.R.S. 2009). | - | Right after filing |
| Attend the hearing or request a DSER review | Bring your income proof so the court can recalculate support under the guideline and sign a new order (19-A M.R.S. 2006), or request an order review if DSER manages your case. Keep paying the current order until it is changed. | - | On your scheduled date |
Frequently Asked Questions
A genuine, involuntary income drop can support a modification if a new guideline calculation varies more than 15 percent from your order (19-A M.R.S. 2009). You must still file a Motion to Modify; the old amount keeps accruing until the court acts. Do not simply stop paying while your request is pending.
No. Either parent can file a Motion to Modify on their own, and the other parent is served and can respond. If both agree on a new amount, they can submit that agreement to a judge for approval, who checks it against the statewide guideline before signing (19-A M.R.S. 2006).
After you file the Motion to Modify, the District Court schedules your matter, often several weeks to a few months out depending on the location. An agreed change or a DSER order review can move faster. Because relief dates only to service, serving the other parent promptly protects you (19-A M.R.S. 2009).
Yes. If the Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery manages your case, you can request an order review instead of going straight to court. DSER recalculates under the statewide guideline (19-A M.R.S. 2006) and can pursue a change, including bringing the matter to the District Court when it is needed.
A modification changes support only from the date the other parent is served with notice of the petition forward (19-A M.R.S. 2009). Amounts that already came due, called arrears, cannot be erased by a modification. Keep paying your current order so you do not build arrears while your request is pending.
Yes. Once three years pass since the order was issued or last modified, the court reviews it without requiring proof of a change and modifies it if the amount differs from the current guideline (19-A M.R.S. 2009). This tracks the federal three-year review option available in IV-D cases.
No. The 15 percent variation presumption does not apply when your existing order was set as a deviation from the guidelines under 19-A M.R.S. 2007. In that situation you show a substantial change of circumstances directly, rather than relying on the automatic 15 percent trigger (19-A M.R.S. 2009).
You file a Motion to Modify (Form OTH-042) with a Child Support Affidavit (Form FM-050), and usually a Child Support Worksheet (Form FM-040) showing the guideline calculation. The Maine Judicial Branch provides these forms and instructions at no charge on its courts.maine.gov website.
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