New York Spousal Maintenance & Child Support Calculator (2026)

New York calculates spousal support (called maintenance, not alimony) with two statutory formulas applied to the spouses’ incomes, and the lower result controls. For 2026, the formula applies to the paying spouse’s income up to $241,000, and when children are involved, maintenance is calculated first and child support second, on maintenance-adjusted incomes. The calculator below runs the full sequence the way New York courts do: itemized income, FICA and NYC/Yonkers tax deductions, both maintenance formulas, and child support chained on top, using the caps effective March 1, 2026.

“In New York, the term ‘alimony’ is not used; instead New York courts will award ‘maintenance’, which is money that one may be required to pay to the other spouse during or after a divorce.”
Brian D. Perskin, Esq., Winning Divorce Strategies, Chapter 9: Winning Maintenance Strategies

New York Maintenance & Child Support Calculator

From Brian D. Perskin & Associates P.C.: guideline spousal maintenance and child support calculated in statutory order, updated with the 2026 caps ($241,000 maintenance / $193,000 child support).

Step 1: Income & Deductions

Step 2: Children

Children of the marriage under 21

Step 3: Options

Maintenance options: income cap, deviation, duration

Maintenance payor income cap Courts are not required to apply the formula above $241,000. Adjusting the cap is informational only.

Deviate from guideline maintenance? Parties may agree to opt out of the formula.

Length of marriage (years) Marriage date to commencement of the divorce action. Used for the advisory duration schedule.

Income from property received in equitable distribution Annual income from income-producing property distributed or to be distributed. Counts for post-divorce maintenance only, not temporary maintenance.

First field: Spouse A. Second field: Spouse B.

Child support options: income cap, deviation

Combined parental income cap Courts may apply the percentages above $193,000 or weigh statutory factors.

Deviate from the basic obligation?

Maintenance

Child Support

Total Payment

These are guideline numbers, not your final answer.

Deviation factors, add-on expenses, imputed income, and above-cap discretion can move both figures substantially. Get a case-specific assessment from Brian D. Perskin & Associates P.C.

Call (718) 875-7584 Contact Brian D. Perskin & Associates

This calculator applies the guideline formulas for post-divorce spousal maintenance (DRL §236(B)) and basic child support (DRL §240 / FCA §413) using the caps and thresholds effective March 1, 2026, with maintenance calculated before child support as the statutes require. FICA and NYC/Yonkers tax estimates assume single filing status and standard deductions; actual taxes may differ. Results do not include child support add-on expenses (childcare, health insurance, unreimbursed medical, education), temporary (pendente lite) variations, or deviation factors a court may apply. Applying formulas above the statutory caps is informational only. This is not legal or tax advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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How Is Alimony Calculated in New York?

Maintenance under Domestic Relations Law §236(B) starts with each spouse’s income as defined by the Child Support Standards Act: gross income minus FICA taxes, NYC or Yonkers income tax, and certain support obligations. The court then runs two formulas. When the paying spouse will also pay child support, Formula A is 20% of the payor’s income minus 25% of the payee’s income; otherwise it is 30% of the payor’s income minus 20% of the payee’s income. Formula B is always 40% of the combined income minus the payee’s income. The guideline award is the lower of the two results, and never less than zero.

A worked example with no child support: the payor grosses $150,000 and the payee grosses $60,000. After FICA, their CSSA incomes are $138,525 and $55,410. Formula A gives $30,476 (30% of $138,525 minus 20% of $55,410). Formula B gives $22,164 (40% of the $193,935 combined income minus $55,410). The lower result controls, so guideline maintenance is $22,164 per year, about $1,847 per month. Our guides on spousal support and who pays what walk through more scenarios.

Why Does the Calculator Show $0?

This surprises almost everyone: when the spouses’ incomes are relatively close, the guideline amount is genuinely zero. Formula B subtracts the payee’s full income from 40% of the combined income, so whenever the lower earner makes more than about two-thirds of what the higher earner makes, the formula goes negative and the statute sets the guideline at $0. A couple earning $100,000 and $80,000 produces no guideline maintenance at all. Courts can still award maintenance based on the statutory factors, and the guideline is also $0 when the payor’s income falls below the self-support reserve ($21,546 in 2026), but if your numbers are close together, a zero result is the formula working exactly as written. If your incomes are close and you still believe support is warranted, that argument is made through the deviation factors, and our page on getting spousal maintenance explains what courts weigh.

How Long Does Maintenance Last in New York?

The statute includes an advisory duration schedule based on the length of the marriage, from the date of marriage to the date the divorce action was commenced:

Length of marriage	Duration of maintenance
Up to 15 years	15% to 30% of the length of the marriage
More than 15, up to 20 years	30% to 40% of the length of the marriage
More than 20 years	35% to 50% of the length of the marriage

For a 12-year marriage, that suggests roughly 1.8 to 3.6 years of maintenance. The schedule is advisory: judges must still weigh the statutory factors, including the parties’ ages, health, earning capacity, and anticipated retirement. Maintenance also ends automatically if the recipient remarries or either party dies.

“When making maintenance demands, you must remember that people can only pay what they can afford. There is little point in asking for money that you will never receive.”
Brian D. Perskin, Esq., Winning Divorce Strategies, Chapter 9: Winning Maintenance Strategies

Temporary vs. Post-Divorce Maintenance

Since the 2015 amendments, temporary maintenance (paid while the divorce is pending, also called pendente lite) and post-divorce maintenance use the same formulas, which is why the calculator shows them together. They can differ in one respect: for post-divorce maintenance, income from income-producing property received in equitable distribution counts as income; for temporary maintenance it does not. The calculator has a field for that income and will show both figures separately when it applies. Timing matters as much as amounts here. As Brian writes in Winning Divorce Strategies, “Any temporary orders issued are in no way permanent, but do not underestimate the power they have in getting the final outcome you desire.” Our pendente lite information and pendente lite summary pages cover how temporary support is requested and contested.

How Maintenance and Child Support Work Together

The statutes require a specific order of operations: maintenance is calculated first, then the maintenance amount is deducted from the payor’s income and added to the payee’s income before child support is computed under the CSSA percentages (17% to 35%+ of combined parental income up to $193,000). That interaction cuts both ways, since every maintenance dollar shifts the child support math. The calculator chains the two automatically, shows child support at each payment frequency, and also shows what child support looks like after maintenance ends, since the recalculation at that point often surprises people. For the child support rules on their own, see our New York child support calculator and child support overview, or learn how support hearings actually unfold.

When Courts Deviate from the Guideline

The formula amount is presumptive at or below the income cap, but courts may deviate where the result would be unjust or inappropriate, weighing statutory factors that include the length of the marriage, each spouse’s age, health and earning capacity, wasteful dissipation of assets, and contributions as a homemaker. Above the $241,000 cap, additional maintenance is entirely within the court’s discretion. Two things maintenance does not automatically depend on: gender, and fault. Payors and recipients can be either spouse, and infidelity generally does not change the math, as our posts on whether cheating affects alimony and spousal support after an affair explain. What does matter is preparation and credible financial evidence, the theme of our guide to getting a fair shake on spousal support.

“Judges in New York do not generally award large amounts for maintenance; they give an amount which is considered justified and fair to both parties. Maintenance should never be considered as an invitation not to work for the rest of your life simply because your ex-spouse is a high-income earner.”
Brian D. Perskin, Esq., Winning Divorce Strategies, Chapter 9: Winning Maintenance Strategies

Changing Maintenance After the Divorce

Post-divorce maintenance can be modified on a showing of a substantial change in circumstances, such as job loss, serious illness, or the payor’s genuine retirement. It terminates on the recipient’s remarriage. If your order predates the current guidelines, a modification analysis can look very different from the original calculation. See our pages on spousal support modifications after divorce and post-divorce modifications, and our overview of dealing with alimony and divorce.

For Legal Professionals

This calculator implements the guideline formulas of DRL §236(B)(5-a) (temporary maintenance) and §236(B)(6) (post-divorce maintenance), with income as defined by the CSSA (DRL §240(1-b); FCA §413). 2026 figures applied: maintenance payor income cap $241,000 and combined parental income cap $193,000 (both effective March 1, 2026), self-support reserve $21,546, poverty income guideline $15,960. FICA estimation includes the employee share on wages, self-employment tax on 92.35% of net self-employment income, and the Additional Medicare Tax; NYC and Yonkers estimates assume single filing status and the New York standard deduction. Cap adjustment and removal options are provided for informational purposes, consistent with the statutory instruction that above-cap awards rest on the enumerated factors. Reference documents: the Notice of Guideline Maintenance, the Temporary Maintenance Guidelines Worksheet, and the Child Support Standards Chart (LDSS-4515). You are welcome to link to this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is alimony in New York?

There is no fixed amount. The guideline is the lower of two formulas: 30% of the payor’s income minus 20% of the payee’s income (20%/25% when child support is also paid), or 40% of combined income minus the payee’s income, applied to payor income up to $241,000. Use the calculator above for your numbers.

How long is alimony paid in NY?

The advisory schedule suggests 15% to 30% of the marriage length for marriages up to 15 years, 30% to 40% for 15 to 20 years, and 35% to 50% for marriages over 20 years. Courts adjust based on statutory factors, and maintenance ends on the recipient’s remarriage or either party’s death.

Is spousal maintenance taxable in New York?

For divorces finalized after 2018, maintenance is not deductible by the payor or taxable to the recipient for federal purposes. New York State tax treatment differs, so confirm with a tax professional before negotiating amounts.

Does cheating affect spousal support in NY?

Generally no. New York is a no-fault state and maintenance is calculated from income, not conduct, except in rare cases of egregious behavior. Wasteful dissipation of marital assets, however, can affect the outcome.

What if my spouse refuses to work?

Courts can impute income to a spouse who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, based on earning capacity, education, and work history. As Brian puts it in Winning Divorce Strategies, judges look unfavorably on the claim that a capable spouse can earn zero dollars.

Can maintenance and child support both be ordered?

Yes, and they usually are when children are involved. Maintenance is calculated first, and the payor’s child support obligation is then computed on income reduced by the maintenance paid.

Get a Case-Specific Assessment

Guideline numbers are the beginning of the conversation, not the end. Deviation factors, imputed income, above-cap discretion, and the interplay with equitable distribution give an experienced attorney real room to move these figures. Brian D. Perskin and his team have handled support disputes across New York City for more than 30 years. Call (718) 875-7584, book a strategy call, or contact Brian D. Perskin & Associates P.C.

About the Author

Brian D. Perskin, Esq.

Brian D. Perskin is the founder of Brian D. Perskin & Associates P.C., a divorce and family law firm with offices in Brooklyn and Manhattan. With more than 30 years of experience, he represents parents and spouses across New York City in divorce, child custody, and child support matters. He is the author of Winning Divorce Strategies and How to Win Custody.

Full Bio Book a Strategy Call (718) 875-7584

Disclaimer: This page provides general information about New York child support law and is not legal advice. Figures reflect the CSSA cap and income thresholds effective 2026 and are subject to change. Use of this page or calculator does not create an attorney-client relationship.