Alimony by State — 50-State Comparison Guide (2026)

Alimony by state varies more than almost any other area of family law. Some states have adopted statutory formulas that calculate both the amount and duration of spousal support, while others leave the decision entirely to judicial discretion. A growing number of states have eliminated permanent alimony in favor of durational or rehabilitative support, while others still allow lifetime payments for long marriages. This 50-state comparison guide shows the key alimony features in every state.

Click any state name below to read its detailed alimony guide with calculation methods, duration guidelines, and modification rules.

All 50 States — Alimony Comparison

The table below shows whether each state has a statutory alimony formula, whether permanent alimony is available, whether durational limits exist, and notable features. Click any state name to read the full guide.

State	Statutory Formula	Permanent Available	Duration Limits	Notable
Alabama	No	Yes	No	Judicial discretion, permanent available
Alaska	No	Yes	No	Reorientation and permanent types
Arizona	No	No	Yes	Durational limits based on marriage length
Arkansas	No	Yes	No	Rehabilitative preferred
California	No	Yes	Yes	Duration tied to marriage length, Gavron warning
Colorado	Yes	No	Yes	Advisory guidelines formula
Connecticut	No	Yes	No	Rehabilitative, permanent, lump-sum
Delaware	No	No	Yes	Duration capped at half the marriage length
Florida	No	No	Yes	Durational limits reformed 2023, no permanent
Georgia	No	Yes	No	Alimony barred if adultery proven
Hawaii	No	Yes	No	Judicial discretion
Idaho	No	Yes	No	Rehabilitative preferred
Illinois	Yes	No	Yes	Statutory formula: 33.3% payor minus 25% payee
Indiana	No	No	Yes	Limited to 3 years in most cases
Iowa	No	Yes	No	Traditional, rehabilitative, reimbursement
Kansas	No	No	Yes	Capped at 121 months
Kentucky	No	Yes	No	Maintenance based on need
Louisiana	No	No	Yes	Final periodic support, durational
Maine	Yes	No	Yes	General and transitional, formula available
Maryland	No	Yes	No	Indefinite alimony for long marriages
Massachusetts	Yes	No	Yes	Duration tied to marriage length by formula
Michigan	No	Yes	No	Judicial discretion, no formula
Minnesota	No	Yes	No	Temporary, short-term, permanent types
Mississippi	No	Yes	No	Periodic, lump-sum, rehabilitative
Missouri	No	Yes	No	Maintenance based on need
Montana	No	Yes	No	Dissolution maintenance
Nebraska	No	Yes	No	Alimony based on need and ability
Nevada	No	Yes	No	Judicial discretion
New Hampshire	No	Yes	No	Reimbursement and term alimony
New Jersey	No	No	Yes	Open durational for 20+ year marriages
New Mexico	No	Yes	No	Transitional and indefinite
New York	Yes	No	Yes	Statutory formula, durational caps
North Carolina	No	Yes	No	Dependent spouse standard
North Dakota	No	Yes	No	Rehabilitative preferred
Ohio	No	Yes	No	Spousal support based on factors
Oklahoma	No	No	Yes	Support alimony capped at marriage duration
Oregon	No	Yes	No	Transitional, compensatory, maintenance
Pennsylvania	Yes	No	Yes	Duration guidelines by marriage length
Rhode Island	No	Yes	No	Rehabilitative and nominal alimony
South Carolina	No	Yes	No	Periodic, lump-sum, rehabilitative, reimbursement
South Dakota	No	Yes	No	Judicial discretion
Tennessee	No	No	Yes	4 types with durational limits
Texas	No	No	Yes	Limited to 5, 7, or 10 years
Utah	No	Yes	Yes	Duration generally capped at marriage length
Vermont	No	Yes	No	Maintenance based on need
Virginia	No	Yes	No	Durational, permanent, lump-sum
Washington	No	Yes	No	Maintenance based on need and ability
West Virginia	No	Yes	No	Rehabilitative and permanent
Wisconsin	No	Yes	No	Limited and indefinite maintenance
Wyoming	No	Yes	No	Rehabilitative preferred, judicial discretion

Understanding How Alimony Differs by State

The most significant difference between states is whether they have adopted a mathematical formula for calculating alimony. States with formulas — like Illinois (33.3% of payor’s income minus 25% of payee’s income) and Massachusetts (30-35% of the difference in gross incomes) — provide more predictable outcomes. The vast majority of states, however, give judges broad discretion to set alimony based on statutory factors like income disparity, marriage duration, standard of living, and each spouse’s earning capacity.

The trend nationwide has been toward limiting permanent alimony. Florida’s 2023 reform eliminated permanent alimony entirely, replacing it with durational support capped at specific percentages of the marriage length. Several other states including Texas, Indiana, and Kansas impose strict duration caps. Conversely, states like New Jersey, while eliminating the “permanent” label, still allow “open durational” alimony for marriages of 20 or more years.

The Alimony Reform Movement

Alimony reform has been one of the most active areas of family law legislation in recent years. Advocates argue that permanent alimony was designed for an era when one spouse typically had no career or earning capacity after a long marriage. In the modern economy, rehabilitative and durational alimony better serve the goal of helping a financially dependent spouse become self-sufficient.

Opponents of reform argue that eliminating permanent alimony disproportionately harms older spouses who sacrificed decades of career development for the family. The debate continues in many state legislatures, with reform bills introduced regularly.

Find Your State Alimony Guide

Ready to understand your state’s alimony rules? Click any state name in the table above, or browse by topic using the links below.

Official Sources

• Cornell LII: law.cornell.edu — Alimony legal information
• NCSL: ncsl.org — State alimony law comparisons
• IRS: irs.gov — Tax treatment of alimony payments

State data compiled from official state statutes, court guidelines, and family law authorities. Alimony laws are subject to legislative reform and judicial interpretation. Click any state name above for your complete state guide. Last reviewed April 2026.

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