Alimony Calculator in Tennessee

Tennessee Alimony Calculator

Estimate Spousal Support Based on Tennessee Code § 36-5-121

Estimated Support Results

Monthly Payment

$0.00

Suggested Duration

0 Months

*These figures are estimates based on standard formulaic benchmarks used in Tennessee mediation. Actual court awards vary based on judicial discretion.

Understanding Alimony Laws in Tennessee

In Tennessee, alimony (spousal support) is not calculated using a single, rigid mathematical formula. Instead, Tennessee courts rely on Tennessee Code § 36-5-121, which emphasizes two primary factors: the demonstrated need of the disadvantaged spouse and the ability to pay of the higher-earning spouse.

The Four Types of Alimony in Tennessee

Tennessee recognizes four distinct categories of spousal support, each serving a different purpose:

  • Rehabilitative Alimony: The most common type, intended to help the disadvantaged spouse acquire education or training to become self-sufficient.
  • Transitional Alimony: Paid for a definite period to help a spouse adjust to the economic consequences of divorce when rehabilitation isn't necessary.
  • Alimony in Futuro (Periodic Alimony): Long-term support usually awarded in long marriages where one spouse cannot achieve an earning capacity to maintain the marital standard of living.
  • Alimony in Solido (Lump Sum Alimony): A set total amount, often paid in installments, used for property settlement or to balance the distribution of assets.

How This Calculator Works

Because TN is a "discretionary" state, this tool uses a combination of the AAML (American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers) formula and Tennessee judicial trends. It calculates 30% of the payor's gross monthly income minus 20% of the payee's gross monthly income, capped to ensure the payor retains a reasonable standard of living. For duration, it typically estimates support for roughly 30% to 50% of the length of the marriage.

Key Factors Courts Consider

Judges in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and across Tennessee evaluate the following when determining the final amount:

  1. The relative earning capacity, obligations, needs, and financial resources of each party.
  2. The duration of the marriage.
  3. The age and mental/physical condition of each party.
  4. The separate assets owned by each party.
  5. The provisions made regarding marital property distribution.
  6. The standard of living established during the marriage.
  7. Tangible and intangible contributions to the marriage (homemaking, child-rearing).
  8. Fault (in some circumstances, though Tennessee is a no-fault state).

Realistic Example:

If a couple was married for 20 years, and Spouse A earns $8,000/month while Spouse B earns $2,000/month, the "Need and Ability" analysis might suggest a monthly alimony payment ranging from $1,500 to $2,000 for a duration of 6 to 10 years, depending on the specific rehabilitative needs of Spouse B.

function calculateTNAlimony() { var payorIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById('payorIncome').value); var payeeIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById('payeeIncome').value); var marriageYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById('marriageYears').value); var taxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('taxRate').value) / 100; if (isNaN(payorIncome) || isNaN(payeeIncome) || isNaN(marriageYears)) { alert("Please enter valid numbers for income and marriage duration."); return; } // Determine who is the higher earner var high = Math.max(payorIncome, payeeIncome); var low = Math.min(payorIncome, payeeIncome); // Baseline calculation (Common benchmark) // 30% of higher earner's gross minus 20% of lower earner's gross var monthlyAlimony = (high * 0.30) – (low * 0.20); // Safeguard: Alimony should not result in low earner having more than high earner var totalPool = high + low; if ((low + monthlyAlimony) > (high – monthlyAlimony)) { monthlyAlimony = (high – low) / 2.5; } // Ensure it's not negative if (monthlyAlimony < 0) { monthlyAlimony = 0; } // Duration calculation // Generally 30% to 50% of the marriage length in TN var durationFactor = 0.4; // Average if (marriageYears 20) durationFactor = 0.5; var totalMonths = Math.round(marriageYears * 12 * durationFactor); // Formatting for display var formatter = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD', }); document.getElementById('monthlyResult').innerText = formatter.format(monthlyAlimony); var durationText = ""; if (totalMonths >= 12) { var yrs = Math.floor(totalMonths / 12); var mos = totalMonths % 12; durationText = yrs + " Year(s) " + (mos > 0 ? mos + " Month(s)" : ""); } else { durationText = totalMonths + " Month(s)"; } document.getElementById('durationResult').innerText = durationText; document.getElementById('alimonyResults').style.display = 'block'; // Smooth scroll to results document.getElementById('alimonyResults').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' }); }

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