StateTally

Arizona Alimony Calculator (2026)

Arizona adopted formal Spousal Maintenance Guidelines in 2023, complete with an official calculator that produces a range of amounts and durations based on income and marriage length. Courts normally apply those guidelines unless they find a justified reason to deviate. The estimate below follows a widely used rule‑of‑thumb—not the official guideline output—so treat it as a rough starting point, not a legal determination.

Reviewed 2026-09-02 · Estimates only — not legal or financial advice.

Arizona has no statutory alimony formula. Courts decide case by case under A.R.S. § 25-319 and the 2023 Spousal Maintenance Guidelines. The calculator below shows a widely used rule of thumb (the AAML guideline) as a negotiation starting point — it is not the law and a judge may land anywhere the factors justify.
Before taxes.
Before taxes.
The law behind this calculator: Arizona spousal maintenance — A.R.S. § 25-319 and the 2023 Spousal Maintenance Guidelines.

How Arizona calculates it

  • There is no statutory alimony formula in Arizona; the court decides case‑by‑case using the factors listed in A.R.S. § 25‑319.
  • The rule‑of‑thumb starts with 30% of the higher‑earning spouse’s gross annual income.
  • Subtract 20% of the lower‑earning spouse’s gross annual income from that amount.
  • If the resulting support would cause the recipient’s total income to exceed 40% of the combined income, reduce the support so the cap is met.
  • Determine duration by marriage length: 30% of months if under 3 years, 50% if 3–10 years, 75% if 10–20 years, and indefinite if over 20 years.

Worked example

In the worked example, the higher earner makes $100,000 per year and the lower earner makes $40,000 per year, with a 12‑year marriage. The rule‑of‑thumb calculation is 30% × $100,000 = $30,000; 20% × $40,000 = $8,000; the difference is $22,000 per year, which is reduced to $16,000 by the 40% cap, yielding roughly $1,333 per month as a starting point. For a 12‑year marriage (which falls in the 10–20‑year bracket), the duration guide is 75% of 144 months, or about 108 months. The court is not bound by any of this.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I expect spousal maintenance if my marriage lasted 5 years?

For a marriage between 3 and 10 years, the rule‑of‑thumb suggests a duration equal to 50% of the marriage’s total months, though an Arizona court may order a shorter or longer period if justified.

Is spousal maintenance taxable in Arizona?

Arizona follows federal treatment: the recipient must include maintenance in taxable income, and the paying spouse may deduct it on the federal return, subject to the 2018 tax law changes.

What formula does the 2023 Arizona guideline use to calculate maintenance?

The guideline applies a rule‑of‑thumb: 30% of the higher earner’s gross income minus 20% of the lower earner’s gross income, then caps the recipient’s total income at 40% of the combined income.

Can an Arizona court order a maintenance period that’s longer than the guideline suggests?

Yes. While the guidelines provide a default duration range, the court can deviate and order a longer or shorter period if the statutory factors support such a decision.

What changed in Arizona’s spousal maintenance rules in 2023?

In 2023 Arizona introduced formal Spousal Maintenance Guidelines and an official calculator that generate amount and duration ranges based on the parties’ incomes and marriage length, giving courts a standardized baseline.

Is the calculation different in Phoenix, Tucson or Mesa?

No. A.R.S. § 25-319 and the 2023 Spousal Maintenance Guidelines applies statewide, so courts in Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa and every other county start from the same guideline. Local practice can differ in how judges weigh deviation factors and in typical negotiated outcomes, but the formula on this page is the one used across Arizona.

Embed this calculator

Attorneys, HR teams, and publishers: add this calculator to your own site free — copy the snippet below. Attribution stays visible.

More calculators