Alimony & Spousal Support by State
Unlike child support, alimony (spousal support) has no official formula in most US states. Only 7 states have a real statutory guideline for the amount. The rest leave both the amount and duration up to the judge, based on factors like the length of the marriage and each spouse's income and needs.
We won't show you a made-up number for a state that doesn't have a formula — that would be misleading. Instead, find your state below to see exactly how it's decided, cited to the real statute. Need a real number instead? Try our child support calculator, which is based on an official formula in every state.
States with a real formula
These 7 states have an actual guideline calculation for the amount of alimony (usually still advisory — a judge can deviate).
States with a duration limit, but no amount formula
These 8 states fix the maximum length of alimony by statute, but the amount itself is still up to the judge.
All other states — factors only, no formula
These 34 states have no fixed formula for either amount or duration — courts weigh the statutory factors case by case.
States where alimony is rarely awarded
Alimony is legally possible but uncommon or heavily restricted in these states.
Why isn't there an alimony calculator?
Every US state has an official child support formula because federal law requires it. Alimony has no such requirement, so most states never adopted one — a judge decides case by case. Building a calculator that outputs a number for all 51 jurisdictions would mean inventing figures for the 36 states that have no formula, which we won't do. Where a real guideline formula exists (the 7 states above), we describe it and link to the official tool. Everywhere else, we explain the real factors instead of guessing.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an alimony calculator like there is for child support?
Not a reliable one for most states. Only 7 states have a real guideline formula for the amount of alimony. The other 44 leave the amount up to the judge (some fix the maximum duration by statute). A tool that produced one number for every state would be misleading for most visitors.
Which states have a real alimony formula?
Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York. Even in these states, the formula is generally advisory and a judge can deviate from it.
Does alimony work the same as child support?
No. Every US state has an official child support formula, because federal law requires one. Alimony has no such requirement, so most states never adopted a formula — judges decide case by case using statutory factors instead.
Disclaimer: This page and the state pages it links to explain the general legal framework for alimony and are for informational purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice or predict any case's outcome. For advice about your specific situation, consult a family law attorney licensed in your state.