Illinois Alimony Calculator

Alimony in Illinois: A Simple Guide to Our Calculator

If you’re going through a divorce in Illinois, you may have heard of “maintenance” or “alimony.” These terms mean financial support one spouse may be ordered to pay the other after the marriage ends. Illinois law has clear rules about how this is calculated and our Illinois Alimony Calculator makes it easier to understand what to expect.

In this post we’ll explain the inputs and outputs of the calculator and walk you through the basics of Illinois maintenance laws in plain language.

What Is Alimony?

In Illinois, alimony is called maintenance. It’s money one spouse may have to pay the other after divorce to help maintain a similar standard of living to what they had during the marriage. Not every divorce includes maintenance—it depends on several factors like income and how long the couple was married.

Inputs: What You Need to Use the Calculator

To use the Illinois Alimony Calculator you need three main pieces of information:

1. Payer’s Annual Gross Income

This is the total amount of money the higher-earning spouse makes in a year before taxes. This person is the one who might pay maintenance.

2. Recipient’s Annual Gross Income

This is the total income of the lower-earning spouse. The difference between the payer’s and recipient’s incomes is important in figuring out the possible maintenance amount.

3. Length of the Marriage

This is how long the couple was married, measured in years. Illinois uses this number to decide how long maintenance should be paid.

How Maintenance Is Calculated in Illinois

Illinois uses a simple formula for many cases:

• Maintenance Amount = (33% of payer’s income) - (25% of recipient’s income)

But there’s a cap: The final amount paid cannot be more than 40% of the couple’s combined gross income.

Also the court looks at the length of the marriage to figure out how long maintenance should last:

Length of MarriageDuration of MaintenanceLess than 5 years20% of years married5–10 years40% of years married10–15 years60% of years married15–20 years80% of years married20+ yearsIndefinite or equal to length of marriage

Outputs: What the Calculator Tells You

When you put your numbers in the calculator you’ll get:#### ✅ Payer’s Annual Gross Income

How much the higher-earning spouse makes.

✅ Recipient’s Annual Gross Income

How much the lower-earning spouse makes.

✅ Combined Gross Income

Both spouses’ income added together.

✅ Calculated Annual Maintenance

The maintenance amount based on the state formula.

✅ Maintenance Cap (40%)

The legal maximum that can be paid.

✅ Final Annual Maintenance

The actual amount that may be ordered, taking into account the cap.

✅ Marriage Duration

How long the couple was married, which helps figure out how long maintenance will last.

✅ Estimated Maintenance Duration

How many years maintenance may need to be paid, based on the law.

A Real-World Example

Jane and Mark were married for 10 years. Mark makes $100,000 per year. Jane makes $40,000 per year.

• The formula gives us:
  33% of Mark’s income = $33,000
  25% of Jane’s income = $10,000
  Difference = $23,000
• Their combined income is $140,000.
  40% of that is $56,000, so the $23,000 does not exceed the cap.
• Based on 10 years of marriage, the likely maintenance duration is 6 years (60% of the marriage length).

What If Your Case Is Different?

Not all cases follow this formula. The court can adjust maintenance if:

• One spouse is disabled or unable to work.
• The couple had a prenuptial agreement.
• One spouse gave up a career to support the other.
• The court finds that a fair result requires a different amount.

Also, if the couple’s combined income is over $500,000 per year, or if one spouse already pays child support or maintenance to someone else, the judge may not use the formula.

Why Use the Calculator?

Our Illinois Alimony Calculator is a quick and easy way to get an idea of what maintenance might look like in your situation. It’s not legal advice but a good place to start.

Need Legal Help?

Alimony laws can be complex, especially when large incomes or unique situations are involved. If you need help navigating divorce or understanding your rights, contact an Illinois family law attorney to get advice based on your specific case.

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