Massachusetts Alimony Estimator

How Massachusetts alimony works

The amount of alimony should generally not exceed the recipient's need or 30-35% of the difference between the parties' gross incomes. Child support is calculated first, then alimony. Judges may deviate from these guidelines for good reasons. Key factors: Length of marriage, ages of each spouse, health of each spouse, income, employment, and employability of both parties, economic and non-economic contributions to the marriage, parties' way of life during the marriage, each person's ability to continue the way of life they had during the marriage, lost economic opportunity because of the marriage, physical or mental abuse, lack of property/maintenance/employment opportunity, tax considerations, provision of health insurance, provision of life insurance, sources and amounts of unearned income, cohabitation before marriage or separation before divorce, other relevant factors Duration: Duration is based on the length of the marriage: 0-5 years (no more than 50% of marriage length), 5-10 years (no more than 60%), 10-15 years (no more than 70%), 15-20 years (no more than 80%), 20 or more years (indefinite). Judges may deviate from these limits for good reasons.