Spousal Support-Alimony Calculator Information

Information needed to calculate alimony or spousal support

The calculator determines spousal support based on individual county guidelines (which may vary) and is an estimate of potential guideline or temporary alimony payments. The calculator factors in each specific county guideline where your divorce case would be filed in California.

Two Types of Spousal Support 

In California, spousal support can be temporary or “permanent” or long-term, depending on the circumstances of each case.

Temporary Spousal Support

Temporary spousal support is ordered is meant to provide monthly financial assistance to the lower-earning spouse pending the divorce trial. Temporary spousal support in California is “guideline” support. This calculation is:

Subtract half of the net monthly income of the lower-earning spouse from 40% of the net monthly income of the higher-earning spouse.

California law permits a temporary award of temporary spousal support where the supported party’s needs, and the other party’s ability to pay are both taken into account.

Permanent, Long Term, Spousal Support

Permanent spousal support is ordered, if at all, after a trial. As a benchmark, California law provides that its duration may be half the time of the marriage. However, a spouse may show additional circumstances, such as a marriage of long duration over ten years, that necessitate granting permanent spousal support for a longer period of time.

In ordering permanent spousal support, the court will base its decision upon the following statutory factors:

1. The extent to which the earning capacity of each party is sufficient to maintain the standard of living established during the marriage. The court may take into account the employable skills of the supported party; the job market for those skills; the time and expenses required for the supported party to acquire the appropriate education or training to develop those skills; and the possible need for retraining or education to acquire other, more marketable skills or employment; the extent to which the supported party’s present or future earning capacity is impaired because of domestic duties.

2. The extent to which the supported party contributed to the attainment of an education, training, a career position, or a license by the supporting party.

3. The ability of the supporting party to pay spousal support.

4. The needs of each party based on the standard of living.

5. The obligations and assets of each party.

6. The length of the marriage.

7. The ability of the supported party to engage in gainful employment.

8. Age and health of the parties.

9. Documented evidence of any history of domestic violence.

10. The tax consequences to each party.

11. The hardships to each party.

12. The goal to have the supported party to be self-supporting within a reasonable period of time. Except in the case of a marriage of long duration, a reasonable period of time generally shall be one-half the length of the marriage.

13. The criminal conviction of an abusive spouse.

14. Other factors the court deems may be just and equitable.

Read Family Code Section 4320.

In California, the court considers the circumstances of each case in determining permanent spousal support.