Child Support in Maine
Last Updated on June 4, 2024 by Wade
Unmarried parents can have a child, or they may divorce after having the child. It is possible for one parent to abandon the child and leave the caregiving and financial costs of the child to the other parent. Child support laws in Maine helps ensure that both parents are responsible for the care of their child. The non-custodial parent pays the agreed amount to the custodial parent. This payment is a contribution towards the child’s education.
The Process For Child Support After Divorce
The Department of Health and Human Services manages Maine’s Child Support Services (CSS). Custodial parents in the state can submit online applications for child support through the online portal, or they can download an application form and mail it in for submission. The custodial parent will need to provide information about their child and the noncustodial. Particularly important are the details of the noncustodial parents as these may be required to locate or establish contact with the noncustodial. You can also fill out details about the child, including whether the child was born in the state or not. Additionally, along with the application, attach a birth certificate.
Child Support Services uses this information to locate the non-custodial parent. Once the other parent is located, they receive a notice about the child support case. Genetic testing may be a requirement to determine the paternity of a child born outside of marriage. The procedure involves taking cheek swab samples of the parents and the child and then performing DNA testing on them.
These tests can determine the paternity and gender of the child. CSS will establish the child support order once the establishment of paternity. The income of each parent, as well as their custody arrangements (in the case of shared custody), are all taken into consideration when establishing child support orders.
The $35 application fee is due at the end the first year, provided the custodial parent receives up to $550 in child maintenance payments. There is no fee to custodial parents receiving public assistance like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Processing of their child support cases will be automatic.
How To Receive Child Support in Maine
Parents who apply for child support will be initially enrolled in the U.S. Bank Reliacard Program and issued debit cards. The Reliacard debit card is preloaded and child support funds are deposited into it. You can also use the card to make cash withdrawals and purchases just like any other regular debit card. U.S. Bank Reliacard also offers the benefit of separating child support entitlements from general income and expenses.
Parents may opt to have the money directly deposited into their bank accounts after a child support order has been established. Call (207) 624-4100 to obtain the paperwork necessary for the direct deposit arrangement.
The Maximum Amount That Your Family Can Receive
Determination of child support payments cannot be arbitrarily. Instead, several important factors must be under consideration before finalizing the order. Information about the income of each parent, the number and special needs of the children (if any), who covers them (if applicable), other dependents, or obligations to child support. necessary to create a reasonable order.
The custodial parent may also request that the child support order should be up for reviewal if there has been a significant change in the income of the non-custodial parent.
Enforcement of Child Support
Under the CSS, the Department of Support Enforcement and Recovery can use a variety of tools to ensure that parents are paying their child support obligations. These actions help force compliance, and they are usually not available to collection agencies. These actions also include seizing wages, taking assets, intercepting tax returns and winnings from lottery, placing liens on property, suspending licenses, revoking and denying passports, among others.
