Calculating Alimony in California

Calculating Alimony in California: What You Need to Know

In California, alimony—referred to legally as spousal support—is a court-ordered financial arrangement designed to help a lower-earning spouse maintain stability after separation or divorce. These payments are not automatic and can vary significantly depending on the couple’s financial situation, the length of the marriage, and several other statutory factors.

Spousal support may begin during the divorce process as temporary support, or it can be ordered as part of the final divorce judgment. Some couples negotiate and agree on support terms privately, while others rely on the court to determine whether support should be awarded—and if so, how much and for how long.

Calculating alimony in California isn’t as simple as plugging numbers into a formula. While software tools may be used for temporary support estimates, long-term or post-judgment support is determined based on a broad analysis of each party’s needs, ability to pay, and the overall fairness of the arrangement.

In this article, we’ll break down how alimony is calculated in California, what factors courts consider, and what you can expect whether you’re the potential payor or recipient.

The two main types of spousal support in California are:

1.     Temporary support

This is provided to support a spouse before the couple divorces, while the legal processes are being worked through and until the divorce is final.

2.     Long-term spousal support

Long-term spousal support is paid after the divorce is finalized, usually included as part of a final judgment in a dissolution of marriage or legal separation.

This type of spousal support is sometimes incorrectly called “rehabilitative alimony” because it is designed to ease the transition to a single life, where further education, training and work experience may be required for one spouse to become fully self-sufficient.

A judge will calculate an amount of support deemed to be fair and reasonable for both spouses and order it to be paid for a period of time after the marriage ends.

When calculating long-term spousal support in California, judges consider several factors outlined in California Family Code § 4320. These include the length of the marriage, each spouse’s earning capacity, health, age, standard of living during the marriage, domestic violence history, contributions to the other spouse’s career, and each party’s financial needs and assets. The goal is to ensure a fair outcome while encouraging the supported spouse to become self-sufficient within a reasonable time.

Either spouse can request spousal support under California law. The matter is gender-neutral.

The basic consideration is whether one spouse needs financial support and whether the other spouse can afford to pay it. The higher-earning spouse is often required to pay alimony to the lower-earning spouse regardless of gender.

The standard used for calculating temporary spousal support in California is based on what is necessary to maintain the standard of living that the couple was accustomed to during the marriage.

While there is an acceptance that the same living standards for both spouses may not be practical in two households in the long term, the idea is to maintain the status quo as much as possible at least until the divorce is final.

Temporary support is often calculated according to the following formula:

40% of the high earner’s net monthly income minus 50% of the low earner’s net monthly income.

For instance, if Spouse A earns $5,000 per month and Spouse B earns $2,500 per month, temporary spousal support might be calculated as follows:

• 40% of $5,000 = $2,000
• 50% of $2,500 = $1,250
• Temporary spousal support = $2,000-$1,250 = $750

How is long-term spousal support calculated in California?

In California, long-term spousal support—also known as post-judgment or permanent support—is not determined by a fixed formula. Instead, judges rely on a wide set of statutory factors outlined in California Family Code § 4320. These guidelines ensure that support decisions are fair, comprehensive, and tailored to the specific facts of each case.

Key factors considered by the court include:

• The length of the marriage and the standard of living established during it
• Each spouse’s earning capacity, employability, and marketable skills
• Whether one spouse sacrificed career opportunities to support the home or the other’s education
• The age and health of both parties
• Domestic violence history, documented abuse, or criminal convictions
• The tax consequences of support for both parties
• Each spouse’s assets, obligations, and financial need
• Whether the supported party can become self-sufficient within a reasonable time
• Any hardships faced by either spouse

The court weighs these factors to determine not only if support should be awarded, but also how much and for how long. For marriages lasting 10 years or more, the court may retain indefinite jurisdiction, allowing future modification based on changes in circumstances.

Support payments are often formalized through an income withholding order, directing the payor spouse’s employer to deduct support directly from wages. This ensures timely and consistent payment in accordance with the court’s ruling.

At The Sands Law Group, APLC, our Los Angeles spousal support attorneys help clients understand how these factors apply to their case and advocate for fair, enforceable outcomes. We offer free case evaluations to explain your rights and options under California spousal support law.

Temporary spousal support ends when the divorce is final but long-term spousal support is not bound by such rules.

The judge will consider what’s fair and reasonable in ordering how long the payor is liable to pay support to the recipient, bearing in mind that the goal is for the recipient to become self-supporting within “a reasonable amount of time.”

Often, this is taken to mean around half the length of the marriage, but this is not a hard and fast rule and judges can exercise considerable discretion with this matter.

Alimony stops when the recipient remarries or either spouse dies — unless the couple has specified differently in a written agreement.

California does allow long-term or “permanent” spousal support in certain cases, but it’s rare. In long-term marriages—generally those lasting 10 years or more—the court may retain indefinite jurisdiction, meaning a judge can revisit and modify support orders over time. However, this doesn’t guarantee lifetime payments. Permanent alimony is typically reserved for cases involving significant disparities in income, age, or health, and is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

In California, if the original spousal support calculation was made under circumstances that no longer apply, it may be necessary to modify the order by requesting a review with the court. This may become complex, as modifications are only made when a substantial change of circumstances applies. Most applicants require assistance from a qualified family lawyer.

If you have any spousal support issues in California, our Los Angeles family attorneys at The Sands Law Group, APLC can help. Contact us directly online or call at 213-788-4412 today for a free case evaluation.