Maine Post-Judgment Interest Rate: How to Calculate What You're Owed

The Formula

Under 14 M.R.S. § 1602-C, post-judgment interest in Maine accrues at the one-year United States Treasury bill rate plus 6%. For interest that begins accruing in a given year, the statute uses the Federal Reserve's weekly average one-year constant maturity Treasury yield for the last full week of the prior calendar year.

If your case involves a contract or note with an interest term, the rate is the greater of the contract rate or the statutory rate; the contractual rate is fixed as of the judgment date. For other small claims judgments (property damage, unpaid services, security deposits), the statutory formula applies.

When Interest Starts Running

Post-judgment interest begins accruing on the date the judgment is entered — the day the clerk dockets the written decision — and includes any appeal period. Interest is suspended for a continuance requested and obtained by the prevailing party for more than 30 days; on the debtor's petition and a showing of good cause, the court may waive it in whole or in part.

This matters more than most creditors realize. Using an illustrative 10.5% rate, a $5,000 judgment would accrue $525 per year — about $1.44 per day. A collection process that takes 18 months tacks on nearly $790. That amount is legally recoverable as part of the enforceable judgment balance.

How to Calculate It

Post-judgment interest in Maine is simple interest — it does not compound. The calculation:

Daily interest = (judgment principal × annual rate) ÷ 365

For example, an $8,000 judgment using an illustrative 10.5% rate:

• Annual interest: $8,000 × 0.105 = $840
• Daily interest: $8,000 × 0.105 ÷ 365 = $2.3014
• After 6 months (182 days): $8,000 × 0.105 ÷ 365 × 182 = $418.85

Important: post-judgment interest is simple interest on the principal monetary damages awarded in the judgment. Under 14 M.R.S. § 1602-B(6), any prejudgment interest awarded in the original judgment cannot be added to the principal for post-judgment interest purposes. Taxed court costs may be part of the enforceable balance, but they are not part of that interest-bearing principal.

Partial Payments

When the debtor makes partial payments (through installment orders or voluntary payments), record each payment's date and amount. Keep the payment record separate from the interest calculation: post-judgment interest is simple interest on the principal monetary damages awarded in the judgment, and the payment must be credited to the outstanding balance.

Track each payment by date and amount. Keep the outstanding balance current for satisfaction, and calculate interest on the principal monetary damages awarded in the judgment.

Why This Matters for Enforcement

The interest rate affects your decision-making at every stage:

• At disclosure hearing, the total owed includes accrued interest — the judge factors this into installment order calculations
• When recording a judgment lien, the writ of execution states the judgment amount including accrued interest and costs
• When filing satisfaction, the final payment must cover all remaining principal plus interest through the payment date

Underestimating the total owed means you could file satisfaction too early and lose the remaining balance. Overestimating could expose you to a debtor dispute.

The Maine judgment collection guide includes an interest and fee tracking ledger that handles the running calculation, so you always know the current enforceable balance through each payment and enforcement expense.

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