Texas Alimony Calculator
Maintenance Analysis
What Is the Texas Spousal Maintenance Calculator?
The Texas Alimony Calculator is an online tool designed to give an estimate of potential spousal support. You enter details like:
- Payor’s average monthly gross income
- Recipient’s monthly income and financial needs
- Length of the marriage
- Eligibility reasons (such as long marriage, family violence, or disability)
The calculator then uses Texas Family Code rules to show:
- A likely maximum monthly maintenance payment
- The maximum duration of payments under state law
- A plain-language analysis of eligibility
Important Note: This calculator is for information only. The final decision always rests with a Texas court.
How Maintenance Works in Texas
Before diving into the calculator, here are the basics of Texas spousal maintenance law:
- Eligibility Is Limited
- Must generally be married 10 years or more and unable to meet minimum reasonable needs.
- OR the payor has been convicted of family violence.
- OR the recipient has a serious disability.
- OR the recipient cares for a disabled child from the marriage.
- Caps on Amounts
- The maximum is $5,000 per month OR 20% of the payor’s average monthly gross income, whichever is less.
- Duration Rules
- 10–20 years of marriage: Up to 5 years
- 20–30 years: Up to 7 years
- 30+ years: Up to 10 years
- Disability cases: Possibly indefinite, depending on the situation
How the Calculator Figures It Out
The calculator combines three main numbers:
- Recipient’s shortfall – the gap between their needs and income.
- Payor’s income cap – 20% of their monthly gross income.
- Texas statutory maximum – capped at $5,000.
The estimated monthly maintenance is the lowest of these amounts.
For example:
- Payor income: $8,000/month
- Recipient needs: $3,000/month
- Recipient income: $1,200/month
- Shortfall: $1,800
- 20% of payor income = $1,600
- Statutory max = $5,000
Result: Maintenance capped at $1,600/month.
Why This Calculator Matters
Divorce is already stressful. Money uncertainty makes it worse. The Texas Maintenance Calculator gives you a:
- Quick preview of what support could look like
- Reality check on Texas’s strict caps
- Starting point before talking to a family lawyer
Instead of guessing, you get a clear, numbers-based estimate tailored to Texas law.
Limitations You Should Know
Even though the calculator is helpful, it has limits:
- Courts can deny maintenance even if you qualify on paper.
- Judges consider other factors, like job skills, education, or attempts to find work.
- Duration can be shorter than the max if the court believes it’s fair.
Always use the calculator as a guide, not a guarantee.