Maine Code § 36-5125

Itemized deductions
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1. General. An individual who has claimed itemized deductions from federal adjusted gross
income in determining the individual's federal taxable income for the taxable year may claim itemized
deductions from Maine adjusted gross income as provided in this section.
A. [PL 1987, c. 819, §7 (RP).]
B. [PL 1987, c. 819, §7 (RP).]
[PL 2003, c. 390, §34 (AMD).]
2. Spouses. Spouses, both of whom are required to file returns under this Part, are allowed to
claim itemized deductions from Maine adjusted gross income only if both do so. Their total itemized
deductions from federal adjusted gross income, as modified by subsection 3, may be taken by either
spouse or divided between them, as they may elect, if their federal income tax is determined on a joint
return but their tax under this Part is determined on separate returns. The total itemized deductions
from Maine adjusted gross income claimed on a return may not exceed the limitation amount in
subsection 4.
[PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. TT, §10 (AMD); PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. TT, §20 (AFF).]
3. Amount. The sum of an individual's itemized deductions from federal adjusted gross income
must be:
A. Reduced by any amount attributable to income taxes or sales and use taxes imposed by this
State or any other taxing jurisdiction; [PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. P, §6 (AMD); PL 2005, c. 12, Pt.
P, §10 (AFF).]
A-1. Increased by the amount of property taxes not claimed under the Code, Section 164(a)(1) and
(2) as a result of the limitation under the Code, Section 164(b)(6)(B); [PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B,
§3 (NEW); PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §26 (AFF).]
B. Increased by any amount of interest or expense incurred in the production of income taxable
under this Part but exempt from federal income tax that was not deducted in determining the
individual's federal taxable income; [PL 2003, c. 390, §34 (AMD).]
C. Reduced by any amount of deduction attributable to income taxable to financial institutions
under chapter 819; and [PL 2017, c. 211, Pt. D, §2 (AMD).]
D. Reduced by any amount attributable to interest or expenses incurred in the production of income
exempt from tax under this Part. [PL 2017, c. 211, Pt. D, §3 (AMD).]
E. [PL 2015, c. 494, Pt. A, §47 (RP).]
F. [PL 2011, c. 380, Pt. N, §10 (RP); PL 2011, c. 380, Pt. N, §§19, 20 (AFF).]
G. [PL 2017, c. 211, Pt. D, §4 (RP).]
[PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §3 (AMD); PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §26 (AFF).]
4. Limitation. The total itemized deductions from Maine adjusted gross income claimed on a
return may not exceed $28,350, except the limitation does not apply to medical and dental expenses
included in an individual's itemized deductions from federal adjusted gross income.
[PL 2015, c. 390, §9 (AMD).]
5. Charitable contributions.
[PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. DD, §18 (RP).]
6. Phase-out. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2016 but before January 1, 2018, the
total itemized deductions of the taxpayer determined in accordance with subsections 1 through 4 must
be reduced by an amount equal to the total itemized deductions multiplied by the following fraction:
A. For single individuals and married persons filing separate returns, the numerator is the
taxpayer's Maine adjusted gross income less $70,000, except that the numerator may not be less

than zero, and the denominator is $75,000. In no case may the fraction contained in this paragraph
produce a result that is more than one; [PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §4 (AMD).]
B. For individuals filing as heads of households, the numerator is the taxpayer's Maine adjusted
gross income less $105,000, except that the numerator may not be less than zero, and the
denominator is $112,500. In no case may the fraction contained in this paragraph produce a result
that is more than one; or [PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §4 (AMD).]
C. For individuals filing married joint returns or surviving spouses, the numerator is the taxpayer's
Maine adjusted gross income less $140,000, except that the numerator may not be less than zero,
and the denominator is $150,000. In no case may the fraction contained in this paragraph produce
a result that is more than one. [PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §4 (AMD).]
[PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §4 (AMD).]
7. Phase-out. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, the total itemized deductions
of the taxpayer determined in accordance with subsections 1 through 4 must be reduced by an amount
equal to the total itemized deductions multiplied by the following fraction:
A. For single individuals and married persons filing separate returns, the numerator is the
taxpayer's Maine adjusted gross income less $80,000, except that the numerator may not be less
than zero, and the denominator is $75,000. In no case may the fraction calculated pursuant to this
paragraph produce a result that is more than one. The $80,000 amount used to calculate the
numerator in this paragraph must be adjusted for inflation in accordance with section 5403,
subsection 4; [PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §5 (NEW).]
B. For individuals filing as heads of households, the numerator is the taxpayer's Maine adjusted
gross income less $120,000, except that the numerator may not be less than zero, and the
denominator is $112,500. In no case may the fraction calculated pursuant to this paragraph produce
a result that is more than one. The $120,000 amount used to calculate the numerator in this
paragraph must be adjusted for inflation in accordance with section 5403, subsection 4; or [PL
2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §5 (NEW).]
C. For individuals filing married joint returns or surviving spouses permitted to file a joint return,
the numerator is the taxpayer's Maine adjusted gross income less $160,000, except that the
numerator may not be less than zero, and the denominator is $150,000. In no case may the fraction
calculated pursuant to this paragraph produce a result that is more than one. The $160,000 amount
used to calculate the numerator in this paragraph must be adjusted for inflation in accordance with
section 5403, subsection 4. [PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §5 (NEW).]
[PL 2017, c. 474, Pt. B, §5 (NEW).]

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