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Maine ME AI draft

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Distribution Type
Equitable Distribution
Division Standard
Equitable — judge decides
Income Adjustment
Equitable

Methodology

Equitable distribution

Maine divides marital property “in proportions the court considers just” under 19-A M.R.S. §953(1), with no statutory presumption of an equal split, after considering four enumerated factors: each spouse's contribution to the acquisition of the marital property, including a spouse's contribution as homemaker; the value of the property set apart to each spouse; the economic circumstances of each spouse when the division takes effect, including the desirability of awarding the family home to the spouse with custody of the children; and — added in 2023 — economic abuse by a spouse (§953(1)(D), P.L. 2023, c. 646). The statute also draws detailed lines between marital and separate appreciation of premarital property (§953(2)).

Division Factors

The following factors are commonly evaluated under Maine law:

  1. Contribution of each spouse to the acquisition of the marital property, including the contribution of a spouse as homemaker (19-A M.R.S. §953(1)(A))
  2. Value of the property set apart to each spouse (§953(1)(B))
  3. Economic circumstances of each spouse at the time the division of property is to become effective, including the desirability of awarding the family home or the right to live there for reasonable periods to the spouse having custody of the children (§953(1)(C))
  4. Economic abuse by a spouse (§953(1)(D), added by P.L. 2023, c. 646)

Statute / Authority

Citation: 19-A M.R.S. §953 ↗

Source: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/

Source & verification AI draft
Citation
19-A M.R.S. §953
Source URL
https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/
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Reference Library

Maine Property Division

Maine's 19-A M.R.S. §953 sets apart each spouse's separate property and divides the marital property in proportions the court considers just, weighing four statutory factors: contribution to acquisition including homemaking, the value of property set apart, economic circumstances including the family home for a custodial spouse, and — since 2023 — economic abuse by a spouse. The statute also distinguishes active from passive appreciation of separate property. Maine has no equal-division presumption.

Citation: 19-A M.R.S. §953

Source: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/

Last updated: 2026-07-23T00:37:19.697188

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