This calculator provides an *estimate* of potential alimony payments in Pennsylvania based on the guidelines established by the Domestic Relations Code. Please note that this is a complex legal matter, and actual alimony awards are determined by judges based on numerous factors not included in this simplified formula. This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
function calculateAlimonyPA() {
var payorIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("payorIncome").value);
var payeeIncome = document.getElementById("payeeIncome").value;
var marriageDuration = parseInt(document.getElementById("marriageDuration").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
resultDiv.innerHTML = ""; // Clear previous results
if (isNaN(payorIncome) || isNaN(payeeIncome) || isNaN(marriageDuration) || payorIncome < 0 || payeeIncome < 0 || marriageDuration < 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.";
return;
}
payeeIncome = parseFloat(payeeIncome); // Ensure payeeIncome is a float after validation
var difference = payorIncome – payeeIncome;
var alimony = 0;
var guidelineMonths = 0;
if (difference <= 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "The Payee's income is greater than or equal to the Payor's income. No alimony is typically awarded under these guidelines.";
return;
}
// Pennsylvania Alimony Guidelines
// Based on the Marital Support Guidelines in 23 Pa. C.S. ยง 3701
// This is a simplified version. Actual calculations can be more complex.
if (marriageDuration <= 36) { // Up to 3 years
guidelineMonths = Math.min(marriageDuration, 18); // Max 18 months if marriage <= 3 years
} else if (marriageDuration <= 60) { // 3 to 5 years
guidelineMonths = Math.min(marriageDuration, 30); // Max 30 months if marriage <= 5 years
} else if (marriageDuration <= 120) { // 5 to 10 years
guidelineMonths = Math.min(marriageDuration, 60); // Max 60 months if marriage <= 10 years
} else if (marriageDuration <= 240) { // 10 to 20 years
guidelineMonths = Math.min(marriageDuration, 120); // Max 120 months if marriage 20 years
}
// The guideline amount is generally calculated as 40% of the difference between the incomes,
// multiplied by the number of guideline months. The duration of the award cannot exceed the
// duration of the marriage.
// This calculator uses a common interpretation where the monthly alimony is 30% of the difference,
// and the total award is for the calculated guideline months. This is a simplification.
// Another common interpretation is a percentage of the difference applied for a duration.
// For this calculator, we will provide a monthly amount and the total duration.
var monthlyAlimony = difference * 0.30; // 30% of the difference
// Alimony award duration is capped by the length of the marriage.
var actualAwardDurationMonths = Math.min(guidelineMonths, marriageDuration);
// The maximum award duration is generally 20 years (240 months).
actualAwardDurationMonths = Math.min(actualAwardDurationMonths, 240);
var totalAlimonyAward = monthlyAlimony * actualAwardDurationMonths;
resultDiv.innerHTML = "
Estimated Alimony Award
";
resultDiv.innerHTML += "Monthly Alimony Estimate: $" + monthlyAlimony.toFixed(2) + "";
resultDiv.innerHTML += "Estimated Duration of Alimony: " + actualAwardDurationMonths + " months";
resultDiv.innerHTML += "Estimated Total Alimony Award: $" + totalAlimonyAward.toFixed(2) + "";
resultDiv.innerHTML += "Disclaimer: This is a simplified calculation based on PA guidelines. Actual alimony is determined by judicial discretion and may consider factors like earning capacity, needs of each party, contributions to the marriage, age, health, and marital misconduct. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.";
}
.alimony-calculator {
font-family: sans-serif;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 8px;
max-width: 500px;
margin: 20px auto;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
.alimony-calculator h2 {
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 20px;
color: #333;
}
.alimony-calculator p {
line-height: 1.6;
color: #555;
}
.alimony-calculator .input-section {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.alimony-calculator label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 8px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #444;
}
.alimony-calculator input[type="number"] {
width: calc(100% – 22px); /* Account for padding and border */
padding: 10px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 4px;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.alimony-calculator button {
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 12px 20px;
background-color: #007bff;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
cursor: pointer;
font-size: 16px;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
}
.alimony-calculator button:hover {
background-color: #0056b3;
}
#result {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 15px;
border-top: 1px solid #eee;
background-color: #fff;
border-radius: 4px;
}
#result h3 {
margin-top: 0;
color: #007bff;
}
#result p {
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
#result small {
color: #777;
}