Michigan Alimony Calculator 2026
Michigan has no alimony formula: a judge decides the amount and the length. This page explains what the law says and shows a clearly labelled illustration from both incomes and the length of the marriage. Everything runs privately in your browser, with no sign-up.
Not legal advice — a court decides. Michigan has no alimony formula. A judge decides whether to award spousal support, how much and for how long; the figure below is an illustration, not a prediction.
Michigan Alimony Formula & Factors
Michigan has no alimony formula. MCL 552.23 lets the court award spousal support as it considers just and reasonable, after considering the ability of either spouse to pay, the character and situation of the spouses, and all the other circumstances of the case. The statute lists no further factors and no formula.
What the Illustrative Estimate Is
Because Michigan 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 Michigan law and Michigan 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.
Michigan Alimony Rules at a Glance
| Point | Michigan rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | No formula; decided by the court | MCL 552.23 |
| Length | No schedule; decided by the court | MCL 552.23 |
| 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 Michigan law | AAML Commission recommendations (2007) |
| Who decides | A judge, on the evidence in the case | MCL 552.23 |
| 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: Michigan 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 Michigan law.
For a 12-year marriage the same reference method multiplies the length by 0.75, giving about 9 years. That too is an illustration; Michigan 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.
Michigan Alimony Duration Rules
Michigan law sets no schedule for how long spousal support lasts; the court fixes the period case by case.
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 Michigan?
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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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 MCL 552.23 before relying on a general rule, and get advice from a family lawyer licensed in Michigan about your own case. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Last updated: October 2026. Sources: MCL 552.23 (Michigan Legislature); AAML Commission recommendations (Kisthardt, 21 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 61); IRS Topic No. 452.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is alimony calculated in Michigan?
Michigan has no alimony formula. MCL 552.23 lets the court award spousal support as it considers just and reasonable, considering ability to pay, the character and situation of the spouses and all the other circumstances. The amount on this page is an illustration using the AAML reference method, not Michigan law.
Does Michigan use a formula for alimony?
No. MCL 552.23 sets no percentage, cap or schedule for spousal support, so the judge decides the amount and the length case by case. Any calculator can only illustrate; this one uses the method published by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, which Michigan courts are not bound by.
How long does Michigan alimony last?
Michigan law sets no fixed schedule; the court sets the period case by case. The duration this page shows is an illustration using the AAML reference method (a fraction of the length of the marriage), not Michigan law.
Can Michigan 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 MCL 552.23 before relying on a general rule.
Is alimony taxable in Michigan?
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 Michigan state income tax, which is set separately.