An Act To Attract Young Families to Maine and Keep Young Families in Maine by Expanding the Child Care Tax Credit
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0930
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: ALFOND, CHENETTE, HASKELL, JOHNSON, LIBBY, MILLETT, HICKMAN
Amends: 36 MRSA §5218, 36 MRSA §5218-A

Legislative Document 
No. 930 
S.P. 321 
In Senate, March 17, 2015 
An Act To Attract Young Families to Maine and Keep Young 
Families in Maine by Expanding the Child Care Tax Credit 
Reference to the Committee on Taxation suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator ALFOND of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative CHENETTE of Saco and 
Senators: HASKELL of Cumberland, JOHNSON of Lincoln, LIBBY of Androscoggin, 
MILLETT of Cumberland, Representative: HICKMAN of Winthrop. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  36 MRSA §5218, as amended by PL 2005, c. 519, Pt., DD, §§1 to 3, is 
further amended to read: 
§5218.  Income tax credit for child care expenses before 2015 
1.  Resident taxpayer.  A For tax years beginning before January 1, 2015, a resident 
individual is allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due under this Part in the amount 
of 25% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care expenses in the 
same tax year, except that for tax years beginning in 2003, 2004 and 2005, the applicable 
percentage is 21.5% instead of 25%. 
2.  Nonresident taxpayer.  A For tax years beginning before January 1, 2015, a 
nonresident individual is allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due under this Part in 
the amount of 25% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care 
expenses multiplied by the ratio of the individual's Maine adjusted gross income, as 
defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, paragraph B, to the individual's entire federal 
adjusted gross income, as modified by section 5122, except that for tax years beginning in 
2003, 2004 and 2005, the applicable percentage is 21.5% instead of 25%. 
2-A.  Part-year resident taxpayer.  An For tax years beginning before January 1, 
2015, an individual who files a return as a part-year resident in accordance with section 
5224-A is allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due under this Part in the amount of 
25%, except that for tax years beginning in 2003, 2004 and 2005 the applicable 
percentage is 21.5%, instead of 25%, of the federal tax credit allowable for child and 
dependent care expenses multiplied by a ratio, the numerator of which is the individual's 
Maine adjusted gross income as defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, paragraph A for 
that portion of the taxable year during which the individual was a resident plus the 
individual's Maine adjusted gross income as defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, 
paragraph B for that portion of the taxable year during which the individual was a 
nonresident and the denominator of which is the individual's entire federal adjusted gross 
income, as modified by section 5122. 
3.  Quality child care services.  The credit provided by subsections 1, 2 and 2-A 
doubles in amount if the child care expenses were incurred through the use of quality 
child care services as defined in section 5219-Q, subsection 1. 
4.  Refund.  The credit allowed by this section may result in a refund of up to $500.  
In the case of a nonresident individual, the refundable portion of the credit may not 
exceed $500 multiplied by the ratio of the individual's Maine adjusted gross income, as 
defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C,  paragraph B, to the individual's entire federal 
adjusted gross income, as modified by section 5122.  In the case of an individual who 
files a return as a part-year resident in accordance with section 5224-A, the refundable 
portion of the credit may not exceed $500 multiplied by a ratio, the numerator of which is 
the individual's Maine adjusted gross income as defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, 
paragraph A for that portion of the taxable year during which the individual was a 
resident plus the individual's Maine adjusted gross income as defined in section 5102, 
subsection 1-C, paragraph B for that portion of the taxable year during which the 
individual was a nonresident and the denominator of which is the individual's entire 
federal adjusted gross income, as modified by section 5122. 
Sec. 2.  36 MRSA §5218-A is enacted to read: 
§5218-A.  Income tax credit for child care expenses beginning in 2015 
1.  Resident taxpayer.  For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, a 
resident individual is allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due under this Part in the 
amount of 100% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care expenses 
in the same tax year. 
2.  Nonresident taxpayer.  For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, a 
nonresident individual is allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due under this Part in 
the amount of 100% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care 
expenses multiplied by the ratio of the individual's Maine adjusted gross income, as 
defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, paragraph B, to the individual's entire federal 
adjusted gross income, as modified by section 5122. 
3.  Part-year resident taxpayer.  For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 
2015, an individual who files a return as a part-year resident in accordance with section 
5224-A is allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due under this Part in the amount of 
100% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care expenses multiplied 
by a ratio, the numerator of which is the individual's Maine adjusted gross income as 
defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, paragraph A for that portion of the taxable year 
during which the individual was a resident plus the individual's Maine adjusted gross 
income as defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, paragraph B for that portion of the 
taxable year during which the individual was a nonresident and the denominator of which 
is the individual's entire federal adjusted gross income, as modified by section 5122. 
4.  Quality child care services.  The credit provided by subsections 1, 2 and 3 
doubles in amount if the child care expenses were incurred through the use of quality 
child care services as defined in section 5219-Q, subsection 1. 
5.  Refundability.  The tax credit under this section is refundable after the 
application of nonrefundable credits. In the case of a nonresident individual, the 
refundable portion of the credit may not exceed 100% or, in the case of child care 
expenses eligible to be doubled pursuant to subsection 4, 200% of the federal tax credit 
allowable for child and dependent care expenses in the same tax year multiplied by the 
ratio of the individual's Maine adjusted gross income, as defined in section 5102, 
subsection 1-C, paragraph B, to the individual's entire federal adjusted gross income, as 
modified by section 5122. In the case of an individual who files a return as a part-year 
resident in accordance with section 5224-A, the refundable portion of the credit may not 
exceed 100% or, in the case of child care expenses eligible to be doubled pursuant to 
subsection 4, 200% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care 
expenses in the same tax year multiplied by a ratio, the numerator of which is the 
individual's Maine adjusted gross income as defined in section 5102, subsection 1-C, 
paragraph A for that portion of the taxable year during which the individual was a 
resident plus the individual's Maine adjusted gross income as defined in section 5102, 
subsection 1-C, paragraph B for that portion of the taxable year during which the 
individual was a nonresident and the denominator of which is the individual's entire 
federal adjusted gross income, as modified by section 5122. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the income tax credit for child care expenses by increasing the credit 
from 25% of the federal tax credit allowable for child and dependent care expenses to 
100% of that federal tax credit for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2015.  This 
bill also makes the credit completely refundable.