Minnesota Alimony & Spousal Support (2026)
Minnesota has no formula for the amount of alimony — that is fully up to the judge. But state law does set a fixed limit on how long alimony can last, described below.
How long alimony can last
Since a 2024 reform effective August 1, 2024, Minnesota sets rebuttable presumptions tied to marriage length: for marriages under 5 years, it is presumed that no maintenance should be awarded; for marriages of 5-20 years, transitional maintenance is presumed, capped at no more than half the length of the marriage; for marriages of 20 years or more, indefinite maintenance is presumed (if the underlying factors otherwise support an award).
What determines alimony in Minnesota
Under Minn. Stat. § 518.552 (Minnesota Statutes § 518.552 (as reformed effective August 1, 2024)), a court considers:
- Recipient's financial resources and ability to meet their needs independently
- Recipient's time needed for education or training for suitable employment
- Standard of living established during the marriage
- Duration of the marriage and, for a homemaker, length of absence from employment
- Loss of earnings, seniority, retirement benefits, and other employment opportunities forgone by the spouse seeking maintenance
- Age, physical condition, and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance
- Paying spouse's ability to meet their own needs while paying maintenance
- Contribution of each party to the marital property, including as a homemaker
Good to know
- These are the CURRENT rules for cases decided on or after August 1, 2024 — maintenance awards issued before that date are treated under the prior law as "transitional maintenance."
- The amount of maintenance is still fully discretionary — only duration has these statutory presumptions, and even those can be rebutted with evidence.
Also need a child support estimate?
Alimony and child support are calculated completely separately in Minnesota. If you also have children, use our free Minnesota child support calculator — that one does compute a real number, based on the official guideline formula.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an alimony formula in Minnesota?
Not for the amount, which remains fully up to the court. But since an August 2024 reform, Minnesota sets duration presumptions by marriage length: none presumed under 5 years, capped at half the marriage length for 5-20 years, and indefinite presumed for marriages of 20+ years.
How long does spousal maintenance last in Minnesota?
Under the 2024 reform, marriages under 5 years presumptively get no maintenance at all. Marriages of 5-20 years get "transitional maintenance" presumptively capped at half the marriage length. Marriages of 20+ years get a presumption of indefinite maintenance, if the underlying factors support an award in the first place. All of these presumptions can be rebutted.
Source: Minnesota Statutes § 518.552 (as reformed effective August 1, 2024) · Last verified 2026-07-22
Disclaimer: This page explains the general legal framework for alimony in Minnesota and is for informational purposes only — it is not legal advice and does not predict the outcome of any specific case. Laws change; always verify with the official source above or a family law attorney licensed in Minnesota before making decisions.