Maine Alimony Calculator 2026
Maine has no formula for the amount of spousal support. This page applies the state's rule on how long it can last and shows a clearly labelled illustration of the amount from both incomes. Everything runs privately in your browser, with no sign-up.
Not legal advice — a court decides. Maine has no formula for the amount of spousal support; a judge decides it, guided by the statutory presumptions on length shown.
Maine Alimony Formula & Factors
Maine has no formula for the amount of spousal support, but it has presumptions about general support based on the length of the marriage. 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A describes five kinds of support: general, transitional, reimbursement, nominal and interim. General support helps a spouse with substantially less income potential than the other so that both can maintain a reasonable standard of living after the divorce. The court weighs the factors listed in subsection 5 of the section.
What the Illustrative Estimate Is
Because Maine 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 Maine law and Maine 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.
Maine Alimony Rules at a Glance
| Point | Maine rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | No formula; factors in subsection 5 | 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A(5) |
| Married under 10 years | Presumption: no general support | 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A(2)(A)(1) |
| Married 10 to 20 years | Presumption: general support for no more than half the marriage | 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A(2)(A)(1) |
| Married over 20 years | No presumption | 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A(2)(A) |
| 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 Maine law | AAML Commission recommendations (2007) |
| Who decides | A judge, on the evidence in the case | 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A |
| 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: Maine 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 Maine law.
For a 12-year marriage, the Maine rule on length gives up to 6 years.
These are the figures the calculator shows when the page first loads. A real order depends on evidence a calculator cannot see.
Maine Alimony Duration Rules
There is a rebuttable presumption that general support may not be awarded if the spouses were married for less than 10 years when the divorce was filed, and a second presumption that it may not be awarded for a term longer than half the length of the marriage if they were married for at least 10 but not more than 20 years. A finding that an award based on a presumption would be inequitable or unjust is enough to rebut it. The statute sets no presumption for marriages longer than 20 years.
Is Alimony Taxable in Maine?
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 Maine 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 Maine 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 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A before relying on a general rule, and get advice from a family lawyer licensed in Maine about your own case. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Last updated: October 2026. Sources: 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A (Maine Legislature); AAML Commission recommendations (Kisthardt, 21 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 61); IRS Topic No. 452.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is alimony calculated in Maine?
Maine has no formula for the amount. Under 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A the court chooses among general, transitional, reimbursement, nominal and interim support and weighs the factors listed in the statute. The amount on this page is an illustration using the AAML reference method, not Maine law.
Does Maine use a formula for alimony?
No. 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A sets no percentage for the amount. It does set rebuttable presumptions about general support: none after a marriage of under 10 years, and no more than half the length of the marriage for 10 to 20 years.
How long does Maine alimony last?
Maine presumes that general support is not awarded after a marriage of less than 10 years, and that for a marriage of 10 to 20 years it lasts no longer than half the marriage, so up to 6 years after a 12-year marriage. Both presumptions can be rebutted if the result would be inequitable or unjust, and there is no presumption for marriages over 20 years.
Can Maine 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 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A before relying on a general rule.
Is alimony taxable in Maine?
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 Maine state income tax, which is set separately.