The Alimony Calculator (Balance Incomes) estimates spousal support by equalizing the disposable incomes of both parties after divorce. This income-sharing approach computes the payment needed so both spouses maintain a comparable standard of living after separation.
$6,666.67
$2,066.67
$4,848.00
$4,428.00
4.8
years
$6,666.67
$2,066.67
$4,848.00
$4,428.00
4.8
years
The calculator for income-balancing alimony estimates the spousal support amount needed to bring both parties to comparable post-divorce disposable income levels. Unlike the need-and-ability model, income equalization treats the marriage as an economic partnership whose dissolution should leave both spouses on roughly equal financial footing — a framework favored in long marriages where one spouse subordinated career development to support the household.
The core equalization calculation works as follows:
In practice, most jurisdictions cap equalization at 40–50% of the income differential rather than full equalization. Some states use formulas like: Alimony = 30–40% × (Payor's gross income − Recipient's gross income). The need-based alimony calculator models the alternative framework where documented expenses and ability to pay determine the amount. Use this online calculator for preliminary planning before consulting a family law attorney.
Most alimony calculations use gross income as the starting point. The distinction matters because:
Some states explicitly calculate alimony on net disposable income rather than gross. The divorce settlement calculator models the broader financial impact of divorce including asset division.
Duration under the balancing approach follows three patterns:
The child support calculator and family law calculators provide complementary divorce financial planning tools.
Equalization alimony is subject to modification when circumstances change substantially. Common termination triggers include the recipient's remarriage or cohabitation (automatic in most jurisdictions), significant income change for either party, voluntary reduction in employment, retirement of the payor, or death of either party. Any substantial, material, and unanticipated change supports a modification petition.
Enter both spouses' annual gross incomes to compute the monthly income gap. Select whether there are minor children and enter the monthly child support amount if applicable. The calculator applies a 40% factor to the income gap to derive the base alimony, then reduces it by half the child support amount. It projects approximate post-alimony net monthly incomes for both parties and estimates the duration of support based on the length of the marriage.
The estimated alimony aims to close 40% of the income gap, leaving both spouses with unequal but narrower differences in monthly income. The Post-Alimony Net figures show whether both parties can sustain themselves after the transfer. If the payor's post-alimony net appears too low, the alimony may be excessive; if the recipient still has a very low net income, additional need-based analysis (see the companion Need-Based calculator) may be warranted.
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Results
A $135,000 annual income gap results in a $4,500 base alimony, reduced to $3,750 after the child support offset. Both parties retain meaningful post-alimony incomes, and a 20-year marriage triggers a 10-year support duration at the 50% factor.
Inputs
Results
No child support means no offset. The income-balancing result nearly equalizes post-alimony incomes. The 8-year marriage yields roughly 2.8 years of support at the 35% duration factor.
No state mandates a pure income-balancing formula, but the concept underlies practice in California, New York, and other states where courts use income equalization as a reference point. New Jersey and Massachusetts reformed their alimony laws to cap duration at the marriage length, incorporating income-gap principles into the analysis.
No. It is a commonly cited rule of thumb derived from practice in several jurisdictions. Some formulas use 30%, others up to 50%. The actual percentage depends on state law, judicial discretion, and the parties' negotiated outcomes. This calculator uses 40% as a reasonable mid-range estimate.
For post-2018 divorce agreements under U.S. federal law, alimony is no longer taxable income for the recipient and not deductible for the payor. Pre-2019 agreements retain the old tax treatment unless modified. This calculator's post-alimony net income figures apply approximate marginal rate adjustments.
The need-based method asks: how much does the recipient actually spend, and can the payor afford to cover the gap? The income-balancing method asks: how large is the income disparity, and what fraction should be transferred? They can produce very different results, particularly when the recipient's expenses are modest despite a large income gap.
A payor who loses their job or experiences a significant involuntary income reduction can petition the court for a modification or temporary suspension of alimony. Voluntary job changes or deliberate underemployment generally do not justify modification — courts may impute income at the prior earning level.
In most U.S. states, alimony terminates automatically upon the recipient's remarriage. The payor's remarriage generally does not terminate the obligation, though it may be a factor in a modification petition if the payor now supports a new family.
The income-balancing concept applies broadly — Canadian spousal support guidelines, for instance, explicitly use income-sharing formulas. The percentages and duration rules differ, but the methodology of computing an income gap and applying a percentage factor is directly applicable.
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