Alimony Calculator
Estimate a monthly alimony figure for planning talks — pick a method, enter both incomes and marriage length, and read the breakdown. Click any i for detail.
Incomes & method
Income figures are
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Income basis
Use the same basis for both spouses. Net is better when you have take-home numbers; gross is fine for a first pass. |
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Payor income ($)
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Payor income
The spouse who would pay support. Match the basis above (annual or monthly). |
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Recipient income ($)
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Recipient income
The spouse who would receive support — wages, self-employment, or other recurring income. |
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Marriage length (years)
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Marriage length
Years married (or domestic partnership) before separation. Duration of support is often tied to this, but the amount method you pick is separate. |
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Estimate method
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Estimate method
There is no single U.S. alimony formula. Pick the framing that matches how you and counsel are talking about support. |
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Share of difference (%)
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Share of difference
What fraction of the annual income gap becomes annual support before dividing by 12. 25–35% is a common negotiation band. |
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Percent of payor income (%)
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Percent of payor
A rough ceiling check: support as a share of the payor's income alone. |
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Recipient monthly budget need ($)
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Monthly need
What the recipient needs per month for a reasonable post-separation budget (housing, food, insurance, basics). |
How to use this calculator
- Choose whether incomes are annual or monthly — keep both spouses on the same basis.
- Enter payor and recipient income and marriage length.
- Pick a method (difference share, payor percent, or needs gap) and adjust the percent or need.
- Read the monthly estimate and annualized figure in the result panel.
Results explained
The headline is an estimated monthly alimony payment under the method you selected. Difference share takes a percent of the income gap; payor percent ignores the recipient's income; needs gap models budget shortfall capped by a share of the payor's monthly income.
Marriage length is shown for context — many states link duration to years married even when amount is negotiated differently.
Quick reference: common estimate methods
None of these is a national statute — they are planning frames.
| Item | Detail |
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| Share of difference | (% × (payor − recipient income)) ÷ 12 |
| Percent of payor | (% × payor income) ÷ 12 |
| Needs gap | min(need − recipient income, ~40% × payor monthly) |
For house equity in a divorce, see the divorce buyout calculator.
How the estimate is built
Monthly support ≈ chosen method applied to your inputs. We annualize or monthly-convert so both spouses stay on one clock, then show monthly and yearly totals.
Example scenario
Payor $120,000 and recipient $42,000 annually with a 30% difference share → gap $78,000 → support about $23,400/year (~$1,950/month). A needs-gap run with a $4,500 monthly budget need produces a different number capped by payor ability.
FAQ
Is there a federal alimony formula?
No. Alimony (spousal support/maintenance) is state law and often highly discretionary. This tool is for planning conversations, not a prediction of a judgment.
Gross or net income?
Net is closer to what courts and mediators often discuss for support capacity. If you only have gross W-2 figures, start there and refine later.
What about child support?
Model child support separately. Paying child support usually reduces ability to pay spousal support. State pages (e.g. California) can fold a simple child-support offset into temporary estimates.
Tax treatment?
Federal tax rules for alimony changed for instruments executed after 2018 in many cases. Confirm current tax treatment with a tax professional — this calculator does not model taxes.