Pennsylvania Alimony Calculator (2026)

Pennsylvania has three kinds of support between spouses. Spousal support and alimony pendente lite follow a formula in the support guidelines; alimony after the divorce is decided on statutory factors with no formula. Enter both net incomes to see the guideline figure.

Figures reviewed September 29, 20263 primary sources

Estimated monthly spousal support or APL

$850per month

Paid by the higher-earning spouse (obligor) to the other spouse.

Per year: $10,200

How we got there

33% of the obligor's monthly net income	$1,650
40% of the obligee's monthly net income	- $800
Preliminary spousal support or APL	$850

Without dependent children the 33% / 40% formula applies.
This is the presumptive amount for spousal support (before divorce is filed) and alimony pendente lite (while the divorce is pending). Alimony after the divorce is decided on the factors in 23 Pa.C.S. section 3701.
Net income means gross income less taxes, FICA, union dues, mandatory retirement contributions and support paid under other orders, per Rule 1910.16-2(c).

Standing assumptions

Formula from Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-4(a)(1) Part B for orders entered on or after January 1, 2019.
Spousal support and APL are neither taxable to the recipient nor deductible by the payer.

Estimate only. Not legal advice.

Key 2026 numbers for Pennsylvania

Without children: 33% minus 40%; 33% of the higher earner's net income minus 40% of the lower earner's.
With children: 25% minus 30%; Calculated before child support, which then uses the adjusted incomes.
Post-divorce alimony: No formula; Set on the 17 factors in 23 Pa.C.S. section 3701.
Tax treatment: Not taxable; Neither deductible by the payer nor income to the recipient.

Spousal support, APL and alimony

Spousal support is paid after separation and before a divorce is filed. Alimony pendente lite, or APL, is paid while the divorce case is pending so that the lower-earning spouse can maintain a household and litigate on equal footing. Both are calculated with the same formula in Pa.R.Civ.P. 1910.16-4. Alimony is the payment ordered after the divorce decree under 23 Pa.C.S. section 3701, and the guidelines do not apply to it.

A spouse can defend against spousal support by proving the other spouse's marital fault, such as adultery or abandonment, but fault is not a defense to APL, which is available as long as the divorce is pending and the spouse needs it.

The formula

When there are no dependent children, the obligor's monthly net income is multiplied by 33% and the obligee's by 40%, and the difference is the support. When the parties have dependent children, the percentages are 25% and 30%, and the spousal support or APL is calculated first; it is then subtracted from the obligor's income and added to the obligee's for the child support calculation. Net income is determined under Rule 1910.16-2: gross income less federal, state and local taxes, FICA, union dues, mandatory retirement contributions, and support paid under other orders.

The result is a presumptive amount. The court can deviate under Rule 1910.16-5 for unusual needs, other obligations, assets, medical expenses, the standard of living, or the length of the marriage, and it will consider the duration of the marriage in setting APL.

Post-divorce alimony

Alimony is a secondary remedy in Pennsylvania, awarded only when the court finds it necessary after the equitable distribution of property. Section 3701 lists factors including the parties' earnings and earning capacities, ages and health, sources of income, expectancies and inheritances, the duration of the marriage, contributions to the other spouse's education or career, the standard of living, and marital misconduct. Alimony is typically rehabilitative and limited in duration, though courts can order it for an indefinite period in long marriages with large income disparities.

Termination and modification

Spousal support ends when the divorce is filed and APL begins, and APL ends with the divorce decree. Alimony ends on the death of either party or the remarriage of the recipient, and under section 3706 it terminates if the recipient cohabits with a person of the opposite sex who is not a family member. Alimony orders can be modified on a substantial and continuing change in circumstances unless the parties agreed otherwise.

Worked example

The higher earner nets $5,000 per month and the lower earner nets $2,000; there are no dependent children.
33% of $5,000 is $1,650; 40% of $2,000 is $800.
$1,650 minus $800 leaves $850 per month.
With dependent children the figures would be 25% of $5,000 ($1,250) minus 30% of $2,000 ($600), or $650, calculated before child support.

Spousal support or APL of $850 per month without children, or $650 with children.

Pennsylvania alimony questions

What is the difference between spousal support and APL?

Timing and defenses. Spousal support is paid after separation before a divorce is filed and can be denied for marital fault; APL is paid while the divorce is pending and is not subject to a fault defense. The formula is the same.

How long does alimony last in Pennsylvania?

There is no statutory schedule. Courts set a duration based on the section 3701 factors, often tied to the time the recipient needs to become self-supporting; indefinite awards are reserved for long marriages.

Is Pennsylvania spousal support taxable?

No. For orders entered after 2018 spousal support, APL and alimony are not deductible by the payer or taxable to the recipient.

Can adultery affect support?

Adultery can be a complete defense to spousal support and is a factor the court weighs in post-divorce alimony, but it does not bar APL.

Sources

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