What is the general rule for alimony duration?

The most common guideline is alimony lasting approximately half the marriage length for mid-length marriages (5–15 years). Short marriages yield 1–2 years; marriages of 20+ years may yield indefinite support. Many states leave duration to judicial discretion.

Which states have the shortest alimony duration?

Texas caps maintenance at 5 years for 10–20 year marriages. Louisiana caps alimony at 5 years regardless of length. Florida's 2023 reform eliminated permanent alimony, capping durational support at 75% of marriage length.

Which states allow permanent alimony?

States allowing permanent or indefinite alimony include California (10+ year marriages), Illinois (20+ years), Massachusetts, Connecticut, Alabama, Georgia, and New Jersey (open durational). Florida eliminated permanent alimony in 2023.

Can alimony duration be extended beyond the original order?

Yes, in many states a recipient can petition to extend alimony if circumstances warrant — such as disability, inability to find employment, or other substantial changes. Extensions require court approval and are not automatic.

Does remarriage affect alimony duration?

In virtually all US states, remarriage of the recipient automatically terminates alimony regardless of remaining duration. Cohabitation rules vary by state — some treat it like remarriage, others require a separate court modification.

Alimony Duration Calculator

Look up state-specific alimony duration guidelines and compare how long spousal support lasts across different states for your marriage length.

All calculations are private — nothing leaves your browser

Marriage Length

years

State

Alimony Duration — California

Indefinite (10+ yr marriage)

Marriage Length12 years

Rule TypeFC §4336: indefinite for 10+ yrs

Result copied to clipboard

Advanced Calculator

State-by-state duration chart, duration factor scoring, and 10-state side-by-side comparison.

+ Open Advanced Calculator

Marriage Length

years

State

Duration Estimate — California, 12-yr marriage

Indefinite

RuleFC §4336: indefinite ≥10 yrs

Range12.0 – ∞ yrs

Professional Simulator

Full statutory analysis with citations, modification trigger scenarios, and 20-year lifetime cost projections.

+ Open Professional Simulator

State

Marriage Length

years

Payor Annual Income

Payee Annual Income

Monthly Alimony

Age at Divorce

yrs

Statutory Analysis — California

Indefinite

Duration Range12.0 – ∞ yrs

Ends at Age~∞

Total Cost (est.)$792,000

Income Gap63%

Statute: CA Fam. Code §4336

Family Code §4320–4336: "long-term" = 10+ yrs; indefinite does not mean permanent but court retains jurisdiction.

Termination Triggers

Remarriage of recipient
Death of either party
Cohabitation (discretionary)
Court order

How Alimony Duration Is Determined

Alimony duration is one of the most consequential — and most variable — factors in divorce settlements. Unlike the payment amount, which often follows a formula, duration rules differ significantly by state. Some states have precise statutory tables (Illinois, New York), others have fixed caps (Texas, Louisiana), and many leave duration entirely to judicial discretion.

The primary driver in all states is marriage length. Courts universally treat longer marriages as warranting longer support periods, because the lower-earning spouse had more time to reduce their earning capacity through reliance on the marriage and more time adapting to a shared standard of living.

Duration Rules by State Category

Formulaic States (clear statutory table): Illinois: 20–80% of marriage length by year tier; 20+ yrs = permanent New York: 15–54% sliding scale based on marriage length New Jersey: ~50% of marriage; open durational for 20+ yr marriages Cap States (hard maximums): Texas: 5 yrs (10–20 yr), 7 yrs (20–30 yr), 10 yrs (30+ yr) Louisiana: Max 5 years regardless of marriage length Florida: 25% short / 50% moderate / 75% long (post-2023 reform) Percentage Guidelines (not mandatory): California: ~50% for marriages under 10 yrs; indefinite for 10+ Arizona: ~50% of marriage length Washington: Roughly 33–60% depending on circumstances Discretionary States (no formula): Georgia, Connecticut, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Iowa, Maine, Oregon

Example: 12-Year Marriage Across Three States

Duration Comparison

California~6 years (50% guideline)

New York~4.5 years (statutory table)

Illinois~5.8 years (48% of 12 years)

Texas5 years max (10–20 yr marriage)

Florida6 years max (50% of 12-yr moderate)

GeorgiaDiscretionary — no formula

For the same 12-year marriage, duration could range from roughly 4.5 years in New York to unlimited judicial discretion in Georgia. This variability is why the state of divorce matters enormously for long-term financial planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common general guideline is that alimony lasts approximately half the length of the marriage for mid-length marriages (5–15 years). For shorter marriages (under 5 years), courts often award 1–2 years of rehabilitative support. For marriages of 20 or more years, many states allow indefinite or permanent support. However, these are guidelines — not rules — in most discretionary states.

Texas and Louisiana have among the shortest legally mandated durations. Texas caps maintenance at 5 years for marriages of 10–20 years, and Louisiana caps alimony at 5 years regardless of marriage length. Florida's 2023 reform capped durational alimony at 75% of marriage length, eliminating the permanent option that previously existed.

States that still allow permanent or indefinite alimony include California (for marriages of 10+ years), Illinois (for 20+ year marriages), Massachusetts, Connecticut, Alabama, Georgia, and others with broad judicial discretion. New Jersey allows "open durational" alimony for long marriages. Florida eliminated permanent alimony in 2023. Texas effectively has no permanent alimony.

Yes, in many states a recipient can petition to extend alimony before it expires if circumstances warrant — such as a disability that arose during the support period, inability to find employment despite good-faith efforts, or other substantial changes. However, extensions are not automatic and require court approval. Some states explicitly prohibit extensions; others allow them freely.

In virtually all US states, remarriage of the recipient spouse automatically terminates alimony, regardless of the remaining ordered duration. The payor does not need to return to court — the obligation ends by operation of law. Cohabitation rules vary: some states (like Florida) treat cohabitation similar to remarriage, while others require a separate court modification.

Alimony Duration Calculator

How Alimony Duration Is Determined

Duration Rules by State Category

Example: 12-Year Marriage Across Three States

Duration Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators