Vermont Alimony Calculator 2026
See the guideline ranges for amount and length in Vermont's maintenance statute (15 V.S.A. § 752). The ranges are one of nine factors a judge weighs, not a required result. Everything runs privately in your browser, with no sign-up.
Not legal advice — a court decides. Vermont's statute gives guideline ranges that a judge must consider alongside eight other factors; the judge is not required to stay inside them.
Vermont Alimony Formula & Factors
Vermont's maintenance statute contains guideline ranges. 15 V.S.A. § 752 lets the court order maintenance when a spouse lacks enough income or property for reasonable needs and cannot support themselves at the standard of living established during the marriage. In setting the amount and length the court considers nine factors, and the ninth is a table of guidelines.
The table gives a percentage of the difference between the spouses' gross incomes that depends on the length of the marriage: 0 to 16% for under 5 years, 12 to 29% for 5 to under 10 years, 16 to 33% for 10 to under 15 years, 20 to 37% for 15 to under 20 years, and 24 to 41% for 20 years or more.
The other factors include the financial resources of the spouse asking and the property awarded to them, the time and cost of education or training, the standard of living, the length of the marriage, each spouse's age and health, the other spouse's ability to pay, inflation, and the effect of both spouses reaching retirement age.
Vermont Alimony Rules at a Glance
| Point | Vermont rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 years | 0–16% of the income difference; no alimony or up to 1 year | 15 V.S.A. § 752(b)(9) |
| 5 to under 10 years | 12–29% of the income difference; 20–50% of the marriage length | 15 V.S.A. § 752(b)(9) |
| 10 to under 15 years | 16–33% of the income difference; 40–60% of the marriage length | 15 V.S.A. § 752(b)(9) |
| 15 to under 20 years | 20–37% of the income difference; 40–70% of the marriage length | 15 V.S.A. § 752(b)(9) |
| 20 years or more | 24–41% of the income difference; 45% of the marriage length or longer | 15 V.S.A. § 752(b)(9) |
| Who decides | A judge, on the evidence in the case | 15 V.S.A. § 752 |
| 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: Vermont Alimony Calculator
Take gross incomes of $8,000 and $3,000 a month, a difference of $5,000, after a 12-year marriage. The guideline range for 10 to under 15 years is 16% to 33% of the difference: $800 to $1,650 a month.
The guideline length for the same band is 40% to 60% of the marriage: 4 years 10 months to 7 years 2 months.
These are the figures the calculator shows when the page first loads. A real order depends on evidence a calculator cannot see.
Vermont Alimony Duration Rules
The same table gives a guideline length as a share of the length of the marriage: no alimony or short-term alimony of up to one year for under 5 years; 20 to 50% for 5 to under 10 years; 40 to 60% for 10 to under 15 years; 40 to 70% for 15 to under 20 years; and 45% or more for 20 years or longer.
Is Alimony Taxable in Vermont?
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 Vermont 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 Vermont 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 15 V.S.A. § 752 before relying on a general rule, and get advice from a family lawyer licensed in Vermont about your own case. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Last updated: October 2026. Sources: 15 V.S.A. § 752 (Vermont General Assembly); IRS Topic No. 452.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is alimony calculated in Vermont?
Vermont courts weigh nine factors under 15 V.S.A. § 752(b). The ninth is a guideline table: maintenance of a set percentage range of the difference between the spouses' gross incomes, depending on the length of the marriage, from 0–16% for under 5 years to 24–41% for 20 years or more. The table guides the judge but does not bind them.
Does Vermont use a formula for alimony?
Vermont has statutory guideline ranges rather than a single formula. 15 V.S.A. § 752(b)(9) gives a percentage range of the difference in gross incomes and a length range for each band of marriage length. The court must consider the table together with the other eight factors.
How long does Vermont alimony last?
The guideline table in 15 V.S.A. § 752(b)(9) suggests no alimony or up to one year for a marriage under 5 years, 20–50% of the length of the marriage for 5 to under 10 years, 40–60% for 10 to under 15 years, 40–70% for 15 to under 20 years, and 45% or more for 20 years or longer. For a 12-year marriage that is about 4 years 10 months to 7 years 2 months.
Can Vermont 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 15 V.S.A. § 752 before relying on a general rule.
Is alimony taxable in Vermont?
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 Vermont state income tax, which is set separately.