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New York Alimony Calculator

Calculate NY spousal maintenance using the statutory formula under Domestic Relations Law §236B with the 2026 income cap of $228,000.

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NY uses the lower of two formulas:
Formula A: 30% payor income − 20% payee income = $30,600/yr
Formula B: 40% combined income − payee income = $26,800/yr
Result: $26,800/yr (lower value applies)
NY Temporary Maintenance
$2,233/mo
Annual Amount$26,800/yr
Formula A Result$30,600/yr
Formula B Result$26,800/yr
Applied FormulaFormula B
New York uses the same statutory formula for both temporary and post-divorce maintenance under Domestic Relations Law §236B. The income cap of $228,000 applies to both parties.
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Advanced Calculator

Formula A vs B comparison, $228K income cap analysis chart, and DRL §236B duration table.

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Formula A
30% × min(payor, $228K)
= 30% × $160,000
= $48,000
−20% × payee = −$11,000
$37,000/yr
$3,083/mo
Formula B (lower — APPLIES)
40% × combined income
= 40% × $215,000
= $86,000
−payee income = −$55,000
$0/yr
$0/mo
Post-Divorce Maintenance — DRL §236B
$0/mo
Annual$0/yr
Duration3.3 yrs
Formula appliedB (lower)
Professional Simulator

Full DRL §236B analysis, temporary vs post-divorce maintenance, deviation factors, and 20-year projections.

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yrs
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Temporary Maintenance
$0/mo
During proceedings (~18 months)
Total temp: $0
Post-Divorce Maintenance
$0/mo
Duration: 3.6 yrs
Total: $0
Deviation Factors (DRL §236B)
Health/disability of payee+10–25%
Childcare responsibilities+5–15%
Wasteful dissipation of marital assets+5–20%
Tax consequences±5–15%
Premarital income/property−5–15%
Short marriage (≤3 years)−20–40%
Payee cohabitation−30–100%
Deviation factors present: Minor children (+5–15% possible). Use the Deviation Adjustment field to model upward deviation.

How New York Maintenance Is Calculated

New York has one of the most clearly defined statutory maintenance formulas in the country. Under Domestic Relations Law §236B, courts calculate maintenance using a two-formula approach and apply the lower result. Both the payor's and payee's incomes are capped at $228,000 for 2026, meaning the formula does not generate obligations beyond what the cap produces.

The same formula applies to both temporary maintenance (while divorce is pending) and post-divorce maintenance. Duration is determined separately using a sliding percentage scale tied to marriage length.

New York Maintenance Formula

Income Cap (2026): $228,000 per party Formula A: (Payor Income × 30%) − (Payee Income × 20%) Formula B: (Combined Income × 40%) − Payee Income Annual Maintenance = Lower of Formula A or Formula B Monthly Maintenance = Annual ÷ 12 Duration Scale (years of support per year of marriage): 0–15 years married: ~15–17% of marriage length 16–20 years married: ~24–30% of marriage length 21–25 years married: ~31–37% of marriage length 26–30 years married: ~38–44% of marriage length 30+ years married: ~49–54% of marriage length

When the payor earns above the cap, the court has discretion to award additional maintenance above the formula result based on the financial circumstances of both parties.

Example: 14-Year New York Marriage

Calculation Walkthrough

Payor annual income$130,000
Payee annual income$42,000
Formula A: 30% × $130k − 20% × $42k$30,600/yr
Formula B: 40% × $172k − $42k$26,800/yr
Result (lower of A, B)$26,800/yr = $2,233/mo
Duration (14-year marriage)~4.2 years
Total maintenance~$112,560

Formula B applies because it yields the lower result ($26,800 vs $30,600). The duration of approximately 4.2 years reflects NY's 30% guideline for marriages in the 14-year range.

Frequently Asked Questions

The income cap for New York maintenance calculations is $228,000 in 2026. This cap applies to both the payor's and payee's incomes when calculating the formula. If the payor earns above $228,000, the court may still award additional maintenance above the cap amount based on the parties' actual financial circumstances and the standard of living during the marriage.
New York eliminated open-ended "permanent" maintenance for most cases. The 2015 reforms replaced it with a durational maintenance system based on the sliding-scale percentages. However, courts retain discretion to award maintenance beyond the guidelines for extraordinary circumstances — such as a spouse who is unable to work due to disability, or marriages of very long duration where the supported spouse has no realistic path to self-support.
Yes — "maintenance" is New York's legal term for what most other states call alimony or spousal support. The term was updated when New York reformed its laws to signal that the purpose is transitional financial support, not a lifetime entitlement. The amounts, duration, and modification rules are functionally the same concept.
Yes. The formula creates a rebuttable presumption, not an absolute rule. A judge may deviate if applying the formula would be unjust or inappropriate based on factors including the standard of living during the marriage, each party's future earning capacity, health and age, tax consequences, wasteful dissipation of assets, the existence of child support, or other relevant circumstances. The judge must explain the deviation in writing.
Maintenance terminates upon: (1) the end of the court-ordered duration, (2) the death of either party, (3) the remarriage of the recipient, or (4) further order of the court based on a substantial change in circumstances. Cohabitation does not automatically end maintenance in New York, but may be grounds for a modification petition.

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