Post-Divorce Budget Calculator
Compare your married household budget to your new single-income budget after divorce. Factor in alimony and child support to see your real monthly cash flow.
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Married Household (Monthly)
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Married Monthly Budget
$6,667 surplus
Combined Monthly Income$11,917
Total Monthly Expenses$5,250
Post-Divorce Single Income$6,250
Post-Divorce Surplus$1,870
Your monthly budget changes by $-4,797/mo post-divorce. Consider reducing expenses or negotiating more support.
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Advanced Analysis
Budget Comparison · Surplus/Deficit Timeline · Adjustment Analysis
Married Budget
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Post-Divorce Single Budget
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Budget Comparison Summary
$4,573/mo surplus
Married Income$13,750/mo
Single Income (incl. support)$9,783/mo
Income Drop$3,967/mo
Married Expenses$6,700/mo
Single Expenses$5,210/mo
Expense Change$1,490/mo
Married Surplus$7,050/mo
Single Surplus$4,573/mo
Housing
Married
$2,200
Single
$1,600
Food
Married
$1,100
Single
$650
Transport
Married
$800
Single
$480
Childcare
Married
$1,200
Single
$1,200
Entertainment
Married
$600
Single
$250
Other
Married
$800
Single
$550
Professional Model
Full 50-Category Budget · Inflation-Adjusted Projection · Financial Independence
Annual Income Sources
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Housing (monthly)
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Transportation (monthly)
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Food (monthly)
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Health (monthly)
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Children (monthly)
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Personal (monthly)
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Financial (monthly)
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Miscellaneous (monthly)
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Complete 50-Category Budget Summary
+$2,158 monthly surplus
Monthly Income$10,183
Total Monthly Expenses$8,025
Annual Surplus / Deficit+$25,900
Housing$2,200/mo (27.4%)
Transportation$810/mo (10.1%)
Food$840/mo (10.5%)
Health$605/mo (7.5%)
Children$1,080/mo (13.5%)
Personal$580/mo (7.2%)
Financial$1,280/mo (16.0%)
Misc$630/mo (7.9%)
Planning Your Post-Divorce Budget
One of the most underestimated aspects of divorce is the budget shock. Going from two incomes and shared expenses to a single income covering all housing, insurance, and childcare is a major financial adjustment. This calculator helps you see exactly what changes and by how much.
The Core Challenge: Economies of Scale Disappear
Two people living together spend far less per person than two people living separately. A couple paying $2,200/month for housing becomes two people each paying $1,500–$2,000/month. This "two-household problem" is why even an equitable settlement often leaves both spouses feeling financially stretched.
How Support Payments Change the Picture
- Alimony received: Provides income but is uncertain — it ends upon remarriage, ex-spouse's death, or significant income changes.
- Child support received: Specifically for children's costs. Courts can modify it as incomes and custody change.
- Alimony paid: Reduces your take-home significantly. Post-2018 divorce agreements, alimony paid is no longer tax-deductible.
The Formula
Monthly Income = Annual Income ÷ 12
Monthly Surplus = Monthly Income − Total Monthly Expenses
With Support (receive):
Adjusted Surplus = Surplus + Alimony Received + Child Support Received
With Support (pay):
Adjusted Surplus = Surplus − Alimony Paid − Child Support Paid
Housing Ratio = Monthly Housing ÷ Monthly Income
(Target: under 30–33% of gross income)
Monthly Surplus = Monthly Income − Total Monthly Expenses
With Support (receive):
Adjusted Surplus = Surplus + Alimony Received + Child Support Received
With Support (pay):
Adjusted Surplus = Surplus − Alimony Paid − Child Support Paid
Housing Ratio = Monthly Housing ÷ Monthly Income
(Target: under 30–33% of gross income)
Worked Example
Example: Michelle's Budget Before and After
Michelle and David earned $143,000 combined. Michelle earned $75,000 of that. After divorce she moves to a smaller apartment. She receives $1,200/mo in alimony and $800/mo in child support.
Married Monthly Income$11,917/mo
Married Monthly Expenses$5,250/mo
Married Surplus$6,667/mo
Single Monthly Income$6,250/mo
Single Monthly Expenses$4,580/mo
Single Surplus (before support)$1,670/mo
With Support (+$2,000/mo)$3,670/mo
Without support, Michelle's monthly surplus drops by nearly $5,000. With support, she retains a comfortable $3,670/mo cushion — enough to save and rebuild.
Frequently Asked Questions
Create a "sinking fund" for annual expenses: car maintenance, home repairs, medical bills, and school costs. Divide each annual expense by 12 and set aside that amount monthly. For example, if you expect $2,400/yr in car repairs, save $200/mo in a dedicated account. This prevents budget shocks when irregular expenses arrive.
It depends on when your divorce was finalized. For divorces finalized before January 1, 2019, alimony is taxable to the recipient and deductible to the payer (under old TCJA rules). For divorces finalized after December 31, 2018, alimony is NOT taxable to the recipient and NOT deductible to the payer. Child support is never taxable income.
A needs-based budget documents your actual monthly expenses in detail — housing, food, transportation, healthcare, childcare, and debt payments. Courts and mediators often request this document when setting alimony and child support. It should be realistic (not inflated) and supported by documentation like bank statements and receipts.
Post-divorce, aim for 6–9 months of expenses (vs the standard 3–6 months). You now have a single income, potentially irregular support payments, and may face unexpected home or car repairs without a second income to fall back on. Priority: build your emergency fund before aggressively investing.
If your ex stops paying court-ordered support, you can file a motion for contempt, garnish their wages, or intercept tax refunds through your state's child support enforcement agency. However, enforcement takes time — your emergency fund must cover the gap. This is exactly why experts recommend not building your budget around support as primary income.