In Pennsylvania, alimony, also known as spousal support, is a complex issue that aims to ensure a fair financial outcome for both parties after a divorce. Unlike child support, which is based on statutory guidelines, alimony is determined on a case-by-case basis, considering numerous factors outlined in the Pennsylvania statutes. The purpose of alimony is to provide financial assistance to a dependent spouse from the more affluent spouse, often to help the receiving spouse maintain a similar standard of living to that enjoyed during the marriage or to become self-supporting.
Factors Pennsylvania Courts Consider for Alimony:
The relative earnings and earning capacities of each party.
The needs of each party.
The age and health of each party.
The duration of the marriage.
The amount of property distributed to each party.
The sources of income for each party.
The needs of any children.
The contributions of each party to the marriage, including contributions to the care and education of the children.
The marital standard of living.
The contributions by one party to the education, training or increased earning power of the other.
Any other factor which the court may deem relevant.
How Alimony Might Be Calculated (General Principles & This Calculator's Simplified Approach):
While Pennsylvania law does not mandate a strict formula for alimony, courts often look at the disparity in income and the duration of the marriage. This calculator provides a simplified estimation based on common considerations. It uses a common approach where a percentage of the income difference is considered, and the duration of the marriage often influences the length or amount of alimony awarded.
This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The actual amount and duration of alimony awarded in a Pennsylvania divorce can vary significantly based on the specific facts of the case and the judge's discretion.
Example Calculation:
Let's consider a couple divorcing after 10 years of marriage. The spouse who will be paying alimony has a monthly income of $8,000, and the spouse who will be receiving alimony has a monthly income of $4,000. The income difference is $4,000 per month. If the court were to award alimony based on a guideline that considers a percentage of the income difference and the marriage duration, the results could be as shown by the calculator.
function calculateAlimony() {
var monthlyIncomePayor = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyIncomePayor").value);
var monthlyIncomeRecipient = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyIncomeRecipient").value);
var durationOfMarriageYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById("durationOfMarriageYears").value);
var resultElement = document.getElementById("result");
resultElement.innerHTML = ""; // Clear previous results
if (isNaN(monthlyIncomePayor) || isNaN(monthlyIncomeRecipient) || isNaN(durationOfMarriageYears) ||
monthlyIncomePayor < 0 || monthlyIncomeRecipient < 0 || durationOfMarriageYears monthlyIncomePayor * 0.9) { // Prevent recipient having almost as much as payor
guidelineAlimonyAmount = Math.max(0, monthlyIncomePayor * 0.9 – monthlyIncomeRecipient);
}
// Clamp the amount to be non-negative
guidelineAlimonyAmount = Math.max(0, guidelineAlimonyAmount);
var outputHTML = "