Alimony in Boston: how it is calculated
Alimony in Boston follows Massachusetts law, not a local rule — the same statute applies whether the case is filed in Suffolk County or anywhere else in the state. Here is what that formula produces, and where a Boston case is actually heard.
Where a Boston case goes
A divorce filed in Boston is heard by the Massachusetts court for Suffolk County. The judge applies the state statute below; the county sets the filing procedure, not the amount. Boston has about 673,458 residents (Census Bureau, 2024 estimate).
Open the full Massachusetts alimony calculator → — same formula, with every input, the statute (M.G.L. c. 208 §§ 49, 53) and the date it was last checked.
Formula
30–35% of income difference (gross), duration by marriage length
Type
General term alimony (statutory cap + duration schedule)
Does Boston have its own rule?
No. M.G.L. c. 208 §§ 49, 53 applies across Massachusetts, so a case from Boston is decided by the same numbers as one filed anywhere else in the state. What changes locally is the courthouse, the clerk's procedure and how long the docket takes — not the amount.
What the statute says
M.G.L. c. 208 §§ 49, 53 — Massachusetts Alimony Reform Act of 2011 — general term alimony (amount § 53, duration § 49).
Last checked 2026-09-02. Read the source →
Also for Boston
Other Massachusetts cities
Worcester · Springfield · Cambridge · Lowell · Brockton · Lynn · Quincy · New Bedford · Fall River · Newton · Lawrence · Somerville
Everything StateTally tracks for Massachusetts → · Alimony in every city →