Alimony Calculator: How Spousal Support Is Estimated (2026)

What alimony is and what it is not

Alimony, also called spousal support or maintenance, is a payment from one spouse to the other after separation or divorce. It is separate from child support. Child support is based on the child’s needs and the parents’ incomes; alimony is based on the spouses’ circumstances, the standard of living during the marriage, and the recipient’s ability to become self-supporting.

Alimony is not automatically awarded. The spouse asking for it usually has to show a need and the other spouse’s ability to pay. The exact test depends on the state. Some states presume that a dependent spouse is entitled to support after a long marriage; others require a showing of need regardless of the length of the marriage.

There are several types. Temporary support covers the period while the divorce is pending. Rehabilitative support lasts long enough for the recipient to complete education or training. Durational support is tied to the length of the marriage. Permanent support can last indefinitely in some states, although it is less common than it once was. A lump-sum buyout replaces periodic payments with a single payment or a fixed term.

How judges decide

Most states list factors rather than a formula. The common factors are the length of the marriage, each spouse’s income and earning capacity, the standard of living during the marriage, age and health, the contributions each spouse made to the marriage and to the other’s career, the custody arrangement, and the ability of the paying spouse to meet their own needs. Some states also consider fault, but many have moved away from it.

The judge weighs the factors; there is no single score. That is why two cases with similar incomes can produce different results. A judge may also consider the tax consequences of the payment, the availability of retirement assets, and whether one spouse gave up a career to care for the family.

Because the decision is discretionary, a calculator cannot predict the order. It can help you prepare a budget, organize the facts, and understand the range that a mediator or attorney might use as a starting point.

State approaches

California lists the factors in Family Code Section 4320. Temporary spousal support is often calculated with a county formula, while permanent support is decided by the judge after considering the statutory factors. The county formulas are not statewide law, and they can change.

Florida lists the factors in Section 61.08 and recognizes temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, durational, and permanent alimony. The statute does not provide a single arithmetic formula for the amount. The court considers the length of the marriage, the standard of living, the incomes, and the recipient’s need.

Texas is more restrictive. Maintenance is available only when the spouse asking for it lacks sufficient property or ability to support themselves. The monthly amount is generally capped at the lesser of $5,000 or 20% of the paying spouse’s gross income, and the duration is limited by statute. Those caps are in Texas Family Code Section 8.051 and Section 8.054.

Illinois is one of the states with a real formula. Under 750 ILCS 5/504(b-1), maintenance is generally 33.3% of the paying spouse’s net income minus 25% of the receiving spouse’s net income, capped at 40% of the combined net income. The duration is based on the length of the marriage: 0.2 times the length for marriages up to 5 years, 0.4 times the length minus 1 for 5 to 10 years, 0.6 times the length minus 3 for 10 to 20 years, and the length of the marriage or indefinite for 20 years or more.

New York uses a statutory formula for temporary maintenance and for post-divorce maintenance, with an income cap that is adjusted periodically. Other states use guidelines for temporary support only, and some use no formula at all. The state where the divorce is filed controls.

Worked example: the Illinois formula

Assume the paying spouse has $8,000 of monthly net income, the receiving spouse has $2,000, and the marriage lasted 10 years. Under the Illinois formula:

• 33.3% of $8,000 = $2,664.
• 25% of $2,000 = $500.
• $2,664 − $500 = $2,164 per month.
• The cap is 40% of the $10,000 combined net income, or $4,000, so the result stays at $2,164.
• Duration: 0.6 × 10 − 3 = 3 years.

This is a verified example of a state formula, not a national rule. Illinois has its own definitions of net income, its own cap, and its own duration rules. A different state, or a different income figure, can produce a very different result.

Tax treatment in 2026

For divorce or separation instruments executed after December 31, 2018, the federal alimony deduction is repealed. The payer does not deduct the payments, and the recipient does not include them in federal income. Instruments executed before 2019 may still be governed by the old rules unless they were modified to adopt the new treatment. State tax treatment can differ, so the federal rule is not the whole answer.

The tax treatment can affect the negotiation. A payer who cannot deduct the payment may offer a lower amount, and a recipient who does not include it in income may value the same payment differently. A tax adviser should be part of the conversation for a significant alimony agreement.

What the estimator leaves out

• The state’s specific factors and case law.
• Retirement assets, business interests, and stock compensation.
• The recipient’s earning capacity and retraining needs.
• Health insurance, life insurance, and security for the payments.
• Tax treatment and the interaction with child support.
• Modification and enforcement rules.

The estimator is a conversation starter. It is not a legal opinion, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. If alimony is likely to be part of your divorce, a family law attorney in your state should review the facts.

Frequently asked questions