Arizona Spousal Maintenance Calculator

How Arizona Calculates Spousal Maintenance

Arizona replaced case-by-case alimony guesswork with statewide guidelines under A.R.S. § 25-319, first effective July 2023 and revised effective September 1, 2025. The court first decides eligibility — insufficient property or earning ability to be self-sufficient, or contributions to the other spouse's earning capacity — and only then applies the calculator. The calculator estimates what the household actually spends, using federal Consumer Expenditure Survey data for the family's size and income, and awards the receiving spouse the portion of those expenditures their own share of the combined income cannot cover. The result is a presumptive amount range; duration comes from fixed ranges tied to the length of the marriage, which courts cannot deviate from. Our Arizona spousal maintenance guide walks through the two-step test and what the ranges mean in practice.

Maintenance interacts with the rest of a divorce — it is determined before child support, it shapes property negotiations, and it generally ends on remarriage. Our spousal support attorneys handle maintenance on both the seeking and paying side, in negotiation and at trial.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is spousal maintenance calculated in Arizona?

Once a spouse qualifies under A.R.S. § 25-319(A), the statewide guidelines produce an amount range: the calculator estimates the couple’s combined living expenditures from Consumer Expenditure Survey data for their family size and income, then awards the portion of those expenditures the lower-earning spouse cannot cover with their own share of the combined income. The court picks an amount within the range — or deviates with written findings.

How long does spousal maintenance last in Arizona?

Duration comes from fixed statutory ranges based on the length of the marriage — measured in months from the wedding date to the date the divorce petition was served. Marriages under 2 years carry a range of 3–12 months; 2–5 years, 6–36 months; 5–10 years, 6–48 months; 10–16 years, 12–60 months; and 16+ years, 12–144 months or half the length of the marriage, whichever is greater. Courts cannot deviate from these duration ranges.

What is the Rule of 65 in an Arizona divorce?

When the spouse seeking maintenance is at least 42, the marriage lasted at least 16 years, and their age plus the marriage length totals 65 or more, the duration range no longer binds — the length of the award is left to the court’s discretion, case by case. It recognizes that self-sufficiency within a standard range may not be realistic late in a long marriage.

Is there a minimum income for spousal maintenance in Arizona?

Effectively yes. If the couple’s combined annual spousal maintenance income is below roughly 80% of full-time state minimum wage, the guidelines produce a zero award. Between that floor and $44,000, the range begins at zero and any award is discretionary, limited by the paying spouse’s ability to pay. A court may also deny a request outright below $44,000 combined.

Can spouses agree to a different amount or duration?

Yes. Spouses can agree in writing — or on the record under Rule 69 — to an amount or duration outside the guideline ranges, and courts adopt such agreements when they are entered free of duress and comply with A.R.S. § 25-317. Guideline maintenance is otherwise modifiable on a substantial and continuing change of circumstances unless the decree makes it non-modifiable.