How to Calculate the Amount of Alimony You Will Receive in a Divorce

Video Transcript

"You're facing a divorce and you are the higher wage earner. Hi, I'm Robert Todd and I'm here to discuss how do you calculate alimony? Well alimony, unlike child support, is generally up to the discretion of the court. Child support for the most part in all fifty states is governed by specific state laws which have guidelines, and if you make a certain amount of income combined with your spouse's income, it can be determined the gross income and the corresponding column from those guidelines for the number of children you have. And there's a specific amount of child support. Alimony on the other hand, is generally up to the discretion of the court. And the court will consider the need of the spouse with the lesser income, versus the ability to pay of the spouse with the great income. So it is a discretionary case by case type proposition. I'm Robert Todd, and thank you for watching."