Massachusetts Alimony Calculator 2026
See the statutory ceiling on general term alimony in Massachusetts (M.G.L. c. 208, § 53) and how long it can last (§ 49). A judge sets the actual amount within those limits. Everything runs privately in your browser, with no sign-up.
Not legal advice — a court decides. Massachusetts law caps general term alimony by a percentage range and by the length of the marriage; the judge picks the amount within those limits.
Massachusetts Alimony Formula & Factors
Massachusetts sets a statutory ceiling rather than a single formula. Under M.G.L. c. 208, § 53, the amount of alimony should generally not exceed the recipient's need or 30 to 35 percent of the difference between the spouses' gross incomes, measured when the order is issued. Reimbursement alimony is excluded from that limit, and a judge may go outside it with written findings.
Income is defined as in the Massachusetts child support guidelines. The court leaves out capital gains, dividends and interest from assets already divided in the divorce, and any gross income already used to set a child support order.
Inside the ceiling the judge still weighs the length of the marriage, the ages and health of the spouses, income and employability, each spouse's economic and non-economic contribution, the marital lifestyle, and lost economic opportunity.
Massachusetts Alimony Rules at a Glance
| Point | Massachusetts rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Amount ceiling | Generally no more than the recipient's need or 30–35% of the difference between gross incomes | M.G.L. c. 208, § 53(b) |
| Marriage of 5 years or less | Up to 50% of the months of marriage | M.G.L. c. 208, § 49(b)(1) |
| Over 5, up to 10 years | Up to 60% of the months of marriage | M.G.L. c. 208, § 49(b)(2) |
| Over 10, up to 15 years | Up to 70% of the months of marriage | M.G.L. c. 208, § 49(b)(3) |
| Over 15, up to 20 years | Up to 80% of the months of marriage | M.G.L. c. 208, § 49(b)(4) |
| Over 20 years | Indefinite term allowed | M.G.L. c. 208, § 49(c) |
| Who decides | A judge, on the evidence in the case | M.G.L. c. 208, §§ 49, 53 |
| 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: Massachusetts Alimony Calculator
Take gross incomes of $8,000 and $3,000 a month. The difference is $5,000. 30% of that is $1,500 and 35% is $1,750, so general term alimony should generally not exceed $1,500 to $1,750 a month, or the recipient's need if that is lower.
A 12-year marriage is 144 months and falls in the 70% band, so alimony can run for no more than 144 × 70% = 100.8 months, or 8 years 5 months.
These are the figures the calculator shows when the page first loads. A real order depends on evidence a calculator cannot see.
Massachusetts Alimony Duration Rules
M.G.L. c. 208, § 49 limits how long general term alimony can last when the marriage was 20 years or less. Measured in months of marriage, alimony may continue for no more than 50% of that time for a marriage of 5 years or less, 60% for more than 5 and up to 10 years, 70% for more than 10 and up to 15 years, and 80% for more than 15 and up to 20 years. For a marriage longer than 20 years the court may order alimony for an indefinite time.
General term alimony ends when the recipient remarries or either spouse dies, may be suspended, reduced or ended when the recipient has lived with a new partner for at least 3 months, and ends when the payor reaches full retirement age.
Is Alimony Taxable in Massachusetts?
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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 M.G.L. c. 208, §§ 49, 53 before relying on a general rule, and get advice from a family lawyer licensed in Massachusetts about your own case. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Last updated: October 2026. Sources: M.G.L. c. 208, § 53 (Massachusetts Legislature); M.G.L. c. 208, § 49 (Massachusetts Legislature); IRS Topic No. 452.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is alimony calculated in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts does not fix one amount. M.G.L. c. 208, § 53(b) says general term alimony should generally not exceed the recipient's need or 30 to 35 percent of the difference between the spouses' gross incomes. Within that ceiling the judge weighs the length of the marriage, age, health, income, employability, contributions and marital lifestyle.
Does Massachusetts use a formula for alimony?
Partly. Massachusetts statute sets a ceiling (the recipient's need or 30 to 35 percent of the difference in gross incomes, § 53(b)) and time limits tied to the length of the marriage (§ 49(b)). The judge chooses the actual amount inside those limits and can deviate with written findings.
How long does Massachusetts alimony last?
For marriages of 20 years or less, M.G.L. c. 208, § 49(b) caps general term alimony at 50% of the months of marriage (5 years or less), 60% (over 5 to 10 years), 70% (over 10 to 15 years) or 80% (over 15 to 20 years). A 12-year marriage gives a limit of 8 years 5 months. Over 20 years, the court may order alimony for an indefinite time. It ends on the recipient's remarriage, either spouse's death, or the payor reaching full retirement age.
Can Massachusetts 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 M.G.L. c. 208, §§ 49, 53 before relying on a general rule.
Is alimony taxable in Massachusetts?
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 Massachusetts state income tax, which is set separately.