Louisiana Alimony Calculator 2026
Louisiana has no formula for spousal support, only a ceiling of one-third of the paying spouse's net income. This page shows a clearly labelled illustration within that ceiling. Everything runs privately in your browser, with no sign-up.
Not legal advice — a court decides. Louisiana has no formula for final spousal support; a judge decides the amount, up to a ceiling of one-third of the paying spouse's net income.
Louisiana Alimony Formula & Factors
Louisiana has no formula for final spousal support, but it caps the amount. Under Louisiana Civil Code art. 112, a spouse who was not at fault before the divorce petition was filed and who is in need may be awarded final periodic support, based on that spouse's needs and the other's ability to pay. The court considers all relevant factors, including the income and means of the spouses, their financial obligations, earning capacity, the effect of child custody on earning capacity, the time needed for education, training or employment, health and age, the length of the marriage, tax consequences, and any domestic abuse.
The sum awarded may not exceed one-third of the paying spouse's net income. That limit does not apply when the divorce was granted on certain fault grounds or when the court finds that the other spouse committed domestic abuse during the marriage.
What the Illustrative Estimate Is
Because Louisiana law gives no figure to calculate, the dollar amount on this page is an illustration only. It uses the reference method recommended by a commission of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and adopted by its Board of Governors in March 2007: 30% of the payor's gross income minus 20% of the recipient's gross income, limited so that the recipient ends up with no more than 40% of the couple's combined gross income. The method is set out in Mary Kay Kisthardt's article in the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (vol. 21, 2008) and summarised by Maryland's highest court in Boemio v. Boemio (2010).
The AAML method is not Louisiana law and Louisiana courts are not bound by it. It lists its own reasons to depart from the result, such as a spouse caring for a young or disabled child, age or health, or a career given up for the other spouse. It was written when alimony was still tax-deductible for the payer, and it does not apply when combined gross income is above $1,000,000 a year. Treat the figure as a starting point for a conversation with a lawyer, not as a prediction.
Louisiana Alimony Rules at a Glance
| Point | Louisiana rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | No formula; need and ability to pay, nine listed factors | La. Civ. Code art. 112(A), (B) |
| Ceiling | One-third of the paying spouse's net income | La. Civ. Code art. 112(D) |
| Who can receive it | A spouse in need who was not at fault before the petition was filed | La. Civ. Code art. 112(A) |
| Length | No schedule; set by the court | La. Civ. Code art. 112(B) |
| Figure shown on this page | An illustration using the AAML reference method (30% of payor gross income − 20% of recipient gross income, limited to 40% of combined income) — not Louisiana law | AAML Commission recommendations (2007) |
| Who decides | A judge, on the evidence in the case | La. Civ. Code art. 112 |
| Federal income tax | Not deductible by the payer and not income to the recipient for agreements executed after 2018 | IRS Topic No. 452 |
Worked Example: Louisiana Alimony Calculator
Take gross incomes of $8,000 and $3,000 a month. Under the AAML reference method, 30% of $8,000 is $2,400 and 20% of $3,000 is $600, a difference of $1,800. The limit is 40% of the combined $11,000, which is $4,400, less the recipient's own $3,000: $1,400. The illustrative amount is the lower figure, $1,400 a month ($16,800 a year). This is an illustration, not an amount set by Louisiana law.
With a payor net income of $6,000 a month, Louisiana's ceiling is one third of that, $2,000 a month, so the illustration is not reduced.
For a 12-year marriage the same reference method multiplies the length by 0.75, giving about 9 years. That too is an illustration; Louisiana law sets no schedule.
These are the figures the calculator shows when the page first loads. A real order depends on evidence a calculator cannot see.
Louisiana Alimony Duration Rules
Article 112 sets no schedule for final periodic support; the court fixes the duration from the same factors.
The duration this page shows is an illustration only. It uses the same AAML reference method: the length of the marriage multiplied by 0.3 for marriages of up to 3 years, 0.5 for more than 3 and up to 10 years, and 0.75 for more than 10 and up to 20 years, with open-ended support suggested after more than 20 years.
Is Alimony Taxable in Louisiana?
For federal income tax, alimony or separate maintenance paid under a divorce or separation agreement executed after 2018 is not deductible by the payer and is not included in the recipient's income. Payments under an agreement executed before 2019 are generally still deductible by the payer and taxable to the recipient, unless the agreement was later modified and the modification expressly adopts the new rule (IRS Topic No. 452). Child support is never deductible and is not income.
This page does not cover Louisiana state income tax. State rules are set separately and can differ from the federal rule, so check with the state tax agency or a tax adviser.
Modifying Louisiana Alimony
Whether an order can be changed depends on its wording and on the type of support. In most cases either spouse can ask the court to modify periodic payments after a substantial change in circumstances, unless the decree or the spouses' agreement makes the support non-modifiable.
Read the order itself and La. Civ. Code art. 112 before relying on a general rule, and get advice from a family lawyer licensed in Louisiana about your own case. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Last updated: October 2026. Sources: Louisiana Civil Code art. 112 (Louisiana State Legislature); AAML Commission recommendations (Kisthardt, 21 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 61); IRS Topic No. 452.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is alimony calculated in Louisiana?
Louisiana has no formula. Under Civil Code article 112 a spouse who was not at fault and is in need may be awarded final periodic support, based on need and the other spouse's ability to pay, after the court weighs nine listed factors. The award may not exceed one-third of the paying spouse's net income. The figure on this page is an illustration using the AAML reference method, limited to that one-third ceiling when net income is entered.
Does Louisiana use a formula for alimony?
No. Louisiana Civil Code article 112 lists factors rather than a formula, but it does set a ceiling: final periodic support may not exceed one-third of the paying spouse's net income, except after certain fault-based divorces or where there was domestic abuse.
How long does Louisiana alimony last?
Louisiana Civil Code article 112 sets no schedule for final periodic support. The court decides the duration from the same factors it uses for the amount, including the length of the marriage, earning capacity and the time needed for education or training.
Can Louisiana alimony be modified?
It depends on the order. In most cases either spouse can ask the court to modify periodic payments after a substantial change in circumstances, unless the decree or the spouses' agreement makes the support non-modifiable. Check the wording of your order and La. Civ. Code art. 112 before relying on a general rule.
Is alimony taxable in Louisiana?
For federal income tax, alimony paid under a divorce or separation agreement executed after 2018 is not deductible by the payer and is not income to the recipient (IRS Topic No. 452). Agreements executed before 2019 generally keep the old treatment, deductible by the payer and taxable to the recipient, unless a later modification expressly adopts the new rule. This page does not cover Louisiana state income tax, which is set separately.