Estimate spousal maintenance — UK & US guidance
UK courts have wide discretion — this is a broad estimate only. Actual orders vary significantly.
⚠️ UK courts have wide discretion. This estimate uses a simplified income-sharing approach. Actual orders vary significantly based on needs, lifestyle, and all circumstances. Always seek legal advice.
Unlike child support, there is no fixed formula for alimony (US) or spousal maintenance (UK). Courts have wide discretion and consider the needs of both parties, the standard of living during the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, health and age, and contributions made (including as a homemaker or carer).
In the UK, the general approach is to meet the reasonable needs of the lower-earning spouse while considering the other's ability to pay. In the US, many states have advisory guidelines, but courts retain full discretion.
There is no single national formula for alimony in either the UK or US. In the UK (called spousal maintenance), courts look at both parties' needs and resources. A commonly used starting point is to aim for roughly equal incomes after payment — so if there's a £45,000 income gap, maintenance might be set at around £15,000–£22,500 per year, adjusted for needs. In the US, some states use formulas like 30–40% of the income difference divided by 12 for monthly payments, but this varies enormously by state.
Duration depends heavily on marriage length and circumstances. For short marriages (under 5 years) in the UK, courts increasingly favour no maintenance or a very short term. For medium marriages (5–15 years), joint-lives orders (until remarriage or death) are becoming less common, with time-limited orders preferred to promote financial independence. For long marriages (15+ years) with a significant income gap — especially where one spouse sacrificed a career — longer or indefinite orders are more likely. In the US, rehabilitative alimony is most common, lasting until the receiving spouse can become self-supporting.
Yes. Either party can apply to vary a maintenance order if there is a material change in circumstances: job loss, significant income change, serious illness, the receiving spouse remarrying or cohabiting, or retirement. In the UK, a "clean break" consent order prevents future claims entirely — this is often preferred where both parties have sufficient assets. In the US, modifying alimony requires a court petition and proof of substantial change.
In the UK, spousal maintenance received is not taxable income for the recipient and is not tax-deductible for the payer (for orders made after 1988). In the US, the tax treatment changed under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: for divorce agreements finalised after 31 December 2018, alimony is no longer deductible by the payer and is no longer taxable income for the recipient. For older agreements (pre-2019), the old rules still apply — payments are deductible by the payer and taxable income for the recipient.