Spousal Maintenance in Arizona (Alimony): The 2023 Guidelines

Spousal maintenance in Arizona — what most people still call alimony — changed significantly in 2023, when the state adopted formal guidelines and a calculator for the first time. The new system is built around one principle: maintenance should last only as long as it takes the receiving spouse to become self-sufficient, and no longer. That makes today’s Arizona spousal maintenance more predictable than it used to be, but also generally shorter and more focused than many people expect. This guide explains who qualifies, how the amount and duration are determined, and what the 2023 guidelines mean for you. Available 24/7 • Free confidential consultations • (480) 725-2257

What changed in 2023

For decades, Arizona spousal maintenance was famously unpredictable — judges had broad discretion, and two similar couples could get very different outcomes. That changed with the Arizona Spousal Maintenance Guidelines, adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court and effective July 10, 2023. The guidelines created a structured calculation and an official online calculator, with the explicit goal of making awards more consistent and predictable for families in similar circumstances — much like the long-standing child support guidelines.

The guidelines also locked in a clear policy direction from the underlying statute, A.R.S. § 25-319: maintenance is awarded “only for a period of time and in an amount necessary to enable the receiving spouse to become self-sufficient.” Self-sufficiency is the organizing idea of modern Arizona alimony.

Step one: are you eligible?

Before any calculation happens, the spouse seeking maintenance has to qualify under at least one of the eligibility factors in A.R.S. § 25-319(A). A person needs to meet only one. The spouse seeking maintenance must show they:

• Lack sufficient property, including property received in the divorce, to provide for their reasonable needs; or
• Lack the earning ability in the labor market to be self-sufficient, or are the custodian of a child whose age or condition makes it so the custodian shouldn’t be required to work outside the home; or
• Contributed to the educational opportunities or career of the other spouse; or
• Had a marriage of long duration and are of an age that may preclude getting employment adequate to be self-sufficient.

Qualifying under one of these factors makes you eligible — but eligibility is not the same as entitlement. The court still decides whether to award maintenance and, if so, how much and for how long.

Step two: amount and duration

Once a spouse is eligible, the guidelines drive the amount and duration through a calculation that considers both spouses’ incomes and the relevant statutory factors. The Arizona courts provide an official Spousal Maintenance Calculator that produces a range of dollars and months. The guideline result is generally what the court orders, unless the judge finds in writing that applying the guidelines would be inappropriate or unjust in the specific case.

The factors the guidelines and the statute weigh include:

• The standard of living established during the marriage
• The duration of the marriage
• The age, employment history, earning ability, and physical and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance
• The ability of the paying spouse to meet their own needs while paying maintenance
• The comparative financial resources and earning abilities of both spouses
• The contribution of the seeking spouse to the other’s earning ability
• The reduction in the seeking spouse’s income or career because of the marriage (for example, leaving work to raise children)
• The time needed to acquire education or training for suitable employment

One thing the court may not consider

Because Arizona is a no-fault state, marital misconduct — including an affair — is generally not a basis for awarding or denying spousal maintenance. Maintenance is about financial need and the ability to pay, not about punishing a spouse for how the marriage ended. (Financial misconduct like wasting community assets is handled in property division, not maintenance.)

Modifying or ending maintenance

Spousal maintenance can usually be modified or terminated when circumstances change substantially and continuously — for example, a significant change in either spouse’s income, or the receiving spouse achieving self-sufficiency sooner than expected. Maintenance also typically ends on the death of either spouse or the remarriage of the receiving spouse, unless the decree says otherwise. Some agreements make maintenance non-modifiable, locking in the amount and duration regardless of later changes — a term to understand carefully before agreeing to it, because it cuts both ways.

Taxes on spousal maintenance

For divorces finalized after the end of 2018, federal tax treatment changed: spousal maintenance is no longer deductible by the paying spouse, and no longer counted as taxable income to the receiving spouse. This is a reversal of the old rule and affects the real after-tax cost and value of maintenance — something to factor into any negotiation. (Tax rules can change; confirm current treatment with a tax professional.)

Frequently asked questions

How is spousal maintenance calculated in Arizona?

Since July 2023, Arizona uses the Spousal Maintenance Guidelines and an official calculator that considers both spouses’ incomes and statutory factors to produce a range of amount and duration. First the seeking spouse must qualify under one of the § 25-319(A) eligibility factors; then the guidelines determine the amount and how long it lasts, oriented around the receiving spouse reaching self-sufficiency.

How long does spousal maintenance last in Arizona?

Under the 2023 guidelines, duration is tied to how long it will take the receiving spouse to become self-sufficient — to obtain the education, training, or experience needed to support themselves. It’s meant to be transitional rather than permanent, though longer awards are possible in unusual cases such as very long marriages with an older spouse unable to become self-supporting.

Does it matter who caused the divorce?

Generally no. Arizona is a no-fault state, and marital misconduct like an affair is not a basis for awarding or denying maintenance. Maintenance turns on financial need and ability to pay, not fault.

Is alimony the same as spousal maintenance?

Yes — “alimony” is the older, common term, and “spousal maintenance” is what Arizona law calls it. They mean the same thing. Many people search “alimony”; the legal documents say “spousal maintenance.”

Can spousal maintenance be changed later?

Usually, unless the decree made it non-modifiable. A substantial and continuing change in circumstances — a big income change, or the receiving spouse becoming self-sufficient — can justify modification or termination. Maintenance also typically ends on death or the recipient’s remarriage unless the decree provides otherwise.

Do I pay taxes on spousal maintenance?

For divorces finalized after 2018, no — maintenance isn’t taxable income to the recipient and isn’t deductible by the payer, under current federal law. This changed the economics of maintenance compared to the old rules, so it’s worth factoring into negotiations. Confirm current tax treatment with a professional.

Related Family Law and Divorce Guides

• How Divorce Works in Arizona
• Dividing Property and Debt in an Arizona Divorce
• Child Support in Arizona
• Legal Decision-Making vs. Parenting Time
• Arizona Family Law — Full Overview