Generally, in determining alimony, the court considers the parties' standard of living at the time of separation. In short marriages with no children, the court may consider the standard of living when the marriage began. Sometimes, the court will try to equalize the parties' standards of living.
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.
Texas law sets forth general guidelines for calculating spousal maintenance, including limitations on the amount and duration of payments. The court-ordered monthly amount of spousal maintenance can be at most $5,000 or 20% of the paying spouse's average monthly gross income, and whichever is lower of those two.
How Can I Avoid Paying Alimony? The ex-spouse does not meet the legally required level of financial need. You are not financially able to provide alimony to your ex-spouse. Your ex-spouse is at fault for the divorce, due to having an affair or another cause.
Utah courts consider various factors, including the length of your marriage, financial resources, and each spouse's contributions when deciding if one of you qualifies for alimony. It's common to award alimony in long-term marriages, but things can get complicated, making it necessary to seek legal help.
In Utah, the law mandates that the judge may order alimony only up to the number of years that the marriage lasted. So if the couple was married for 17 years, the support can last up to 17 years. Any extension will be at the discretion of the family court.
Some reasons why an ex-spouse might not be entitled to receive alimony include: The ex-spouse does not meet the legally required level of financial need. You are not financially able to provide alimony to your ex-spouse. Your ex-spouse is at fault for the divorce, due to having an affair or another cause.
Utah law spells out a number of factors that judges must consider when they're deciding whether to award alimony and, if so, how much and for how long. Judges may also consider the spouse's wrongful conduct, including adultery. (Utah Code § 81-4-502 (2024).)