Typically, the judge will take 20% of the lower-earning spouse's income and subtract that number from 30% of the higher-earning spouse's income. For example, one spouse makes $100,000, and the other makes $20,000. Thirty percent of $100,000 is $30,000, and 20% of $20,000 is $4,000.
The guideline states that the paying spouse's support be presumptively 40% of his or her net monthly income, reduced by one-half of the receiving spouse's net monthly income. If child support is an issue, spousal support is calculated after child support is calculated.
New York's equitable distribution law specifies that you are entitled to a division of all “marital property” assets that were acquired during the marriage. With few exceptions, marital property generally includes both spouses' income, purchases made with that income, and retirement benefits.
In most cases, if a spouse can work and their former spouse cannot afford to provide spousal support, the court can deny alimony. It is pertinent to note that New York is a no-fault divorce state, meaning both parties could cite fault grounds, however, it will not affect whether a spouse is granted spousal maintenance.
What do I do if I want alimony? You can ask for alimony as part of a divorce proceeding. If you and your spouse reach an agreement about alimony, you can ask the judge to make the agreement a part of the court order. If you cannot reach an agreement, the judge will decide whether you are entitled to alimony.
You are not legally obligated to support her. If a divorce is filed the court could make alimony retroactive.
In New York, if a marriage lasts a long time and a spouse is old, ill or unable to support themselves, permanent alimony may be awarded.
The most common type of spousal support is usually called rehabilitative alimony—because it's meant to "rehabilitate" dependent spouses by giving them financial support while they gain the education, training, or work experience needed to become self-supporting.
Alimony is usually around 40% of the paying party's income. This number is different in different states and different situations. The court also looks at how much the other party makes or could make and how much they need to maintain their standard of living.
The person asking for alimony must show the court that he or she needs financial support, and that the other spouse has the ability to provide financial support.