Free Alimony & Spousal Support Calculator for All 50 States
See what alimony, spousal support, or maintenance could look like in your state before you talk to an attorney. Enter your incomes, select your state, and get a min–max range in under 60 seconds.
Simple Alimony Calculator
Get a quick estimate of potential alimony/spousal support based on your state's guidelines. Results show ranges to account for judicial discretion.
Marriage Duration
0-10 years, 30+ years
Your Annual Income
$
Spouse's Annual Income
$
Show Additional Factors
Select your state to begin
Disclaimer:
This calculator provides educational estimates only. Actual alimony awards vary significantly based on individual circumstances, local judges, and factors not included here. The ranges shown reflect typical judicial discretion. This is not legal advice and should not be relied upon for legal decisions.
How Our Spousal Support Calculator Works
Pick Your State and Enter Incomes
Choose your state from the dropdown, set your marriage length, and enter annual income for both spouses. Optional toggles (fault, children, career sacrifice) refine the estimate.We Apply Your State's Rules
Behind the scenes, the calculator routes your inputs through the statutory framework for your jurisdiction.Review Your Min–Max Range
You get a low and high monthly estimate, an expected duration window, and a probability band that reflects how much discretion a judge has in your state.
Understanding How Alimony Is Calculated
Whether your state calls it alimony, spousal support, or spousal maintenance, the underlying question is the same: what does one spouse owe the other after the marriage ends?
Why the Earnings Gap Drives Everything
Before a judge considers any other factor, they look at one number: how far apart the two incomes sit. A couple where both spouses earn $80,000 is unlikely to see any support obligation. But when one spouse earns $200,000 and the other earns $35,000, that $165,000 gap becomes the starting point for every calculation.
How Marriage Length Shapes the Duration
Think of marriage length as a multiplier on your support obligation. A 3-year marriage in most states means support lasting roughly 12–18 months. At 15 years, you're likely looking at 6–10 years of payments. Cross the 20-year threshold and several states open the door to indefinite awards.
Temporary Orders vs. Final Awards
Courts often issue temporary support within weeks of filing — before any discovery, depositions, or trial. The final award can land significantly higher or lower than the temporary number.
When Child Support Reduces the Alimony Number
In states where both obligations apply, the child support calculation typically runs first, and that payment is deducted from the payor's income before the alimony formula kicks in.
State-by-State Alimony Approaches
Our calculator covers all 50 states because each one takes a meaningfully different approach.
Formula-Based States
These states plug your numbers into a statutory equation and produce a presumptive amount.
Income Equalization States
These jurisdictions try to narrow the gap so both parties land within a reasonable range of their married standard of living.
Rehabilitative-Focused States
Their statutes presume that support is transitional — a bridge to self-sufficiency, not a permanent income stream.
Broad Discretion States
Judges have wide discretion, leading to variation in awards depending on individual cases.
Fault-Consideration States
Some states allow marital misconduct to influence alimony outcomes.
Factors That Shift Your Estimate Up or Down
Our calculator captures the primary variables, but courtrooms weigh additional context that can swing an award by 20–40% in either direction.
Imputed vs. Actual Earnings
A W-2 showing $45,000 doesn't end the analysis. If a spouse holds an MBA but works part-time, a judge may impute income at the full-time rate.
Lifestyle Established During Marriage
Judges use the marital lifestyle as a ceiling. Documenting recurring expenses creates the evidentiary basis courts need to calibrate support.
Age, Health, and Employability
A 58-year-old with chronic health issues faces a fundamentally different job market than a 38-year-old in good health.
Economic Misconduct and Fault
Even in no-fault divorce states, financial misconduct can trigger judicial adjustments to the alimony award.
Alimony vs. Property Division: Where the Real Money Is
Most people fixate on the monthly alimony number, but the property split often determines more of your post-divorce financial life.
The Buyout Option
Instead of writing checks for years, some payors offer a larger share of the retirement account or a lump-sum cash payment to close out the support obligation entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close will this calculator get to my actual award?
In formula states, our estimates track closely with court outcomes when both incomes are reported accurately.
What moves the number most?
All three matter, but the income gap between spouses is the dominant variable in every jurisdiction.
Do I still get a tax break for paying alimony?
Not if your divorce was finalized on or after January 1, 2019.
My marriage was under 5 years — am I out of luck?
Not necessarily, though your options narrow. Most other states have no minimum duration but default to short-term rehabilitative support for brief marriages.