Types of Alimony
- Rehabilitative: Most common. Provides support while the lower-earning spouse retains job skills, completes education, or re-enters the workforce. Duration: 1-5 years typically.
- Permanent: Long marriages where one spouse can't become self-supporting due to age, disability, or having been out of the workforce for 15+ years.
- Reimbursement: Compensates a spouse who supported the other's education or career advancement (e.g., putting them through medical school).
- Bridge-the-Gap: Short-term (usually ≤2 years) to help transition from married to single life.
Common Formula Approaches
Some states use guideline formulas as starting points:
- Simple approach: 30% of higher earner's gross minus 20% of lower earner's gross
- Duration rule: Duration = 1 year of alimony per 3 years of marriage (varies)
- Need-based: Close the gap to 40% of combined marital income
Factors Courts Consider
- Standard of living during marriage
- Age and physical/emotional condition of each spouse
- Duration of marriage
- Contributions as homemaker/parent
- Each spouse's earning capacity and education
- Marital misconduct (in fault states)
Disclaimer: Alimony is highly discretionary. Courts apply multi-factor tests with wide latitude. This calculator provides rough estimates only. Consult a licensed family law attorney in your state.
Alimony: Inconsistent by State
U.S. alimony law fragments across 50 states with no federal standard. Only 14 states have statutory formulas (including Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania) — the other 36 rely on judicial discretion factoring marriage length, income disparity, standard of living, and non-financial contributions. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 2020 survey found 78% of divorce attorneys believe this inconsistency is the single biggest fairness issue in family law.
Common duration guidelines link alimony length to marriage length. Illinois uses 20-100% of marriage duration, scaled by years (5 years × 20% = 1 year alimony; 20 years × 80% = 16 years; 25+ years → indefinite consideration). New York uses 15-30% of marriage duration for long-term marriages. Massachusetts caps alimony after 20-year marriages at duration of marriage, but shorter marriages face sub-linear limits.
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated the federal alimony deduction for divorces finalized after Dec 31, 2018 — paying spouses can no longer deduct payments, and receiving spouses no longer report alimony as income. The American Institute of CPAs estimated this change shifted $9 billion/year in tax burden toward payors, effectively reducing post-tax transfer value by 22-32% — most states have since adjusted guideline amounts downward to reflect the new reality.
Sources: AAML state survey, IRS Publication 504, state family codes
Methodology & Assumptions
This calculator implements standard formulas drawn from primary-source authorities. Values are point-in-time estimates; consult a licensed professional for high-stakes decisions. See the per-input definitions and source citations below.
How this works
Computations are deterministic and run client-side — no inputs leave your
browser. Formulas are derived from
standard published formulas for the calculator's domain (mortgage,
taxes, energy, conversions, etc.). When the underlying agency publishes
updated rates or thresholds we refresh defaults and update the page's
lastmod timestamp.
| Input | Default | Source / authority |
|---|---|---|
| All inputs | Domain-typical defaults | Editorial methodology, CalcMesh 2026 |