Family Law & Divorce Attorney
Arizona’s revised spousal maintenance guidelines changed how courts calculate the amount and duration of support in many divorce and legal separation cases. The 2025 updates do not guarantee support, but they give courts a more structured way to evaluate support after a spouse first proves eligibility.
Spousal maintenance, sometimes called alimony, is financial support paid by one spouse to the other during or after divorce. In Arizona, the focus is on whether support is needed to help the receiving spouse become self-sufficient within a reasonable period.
When Did Arizona’s New Spousal Maintenance Guidelines Take Effect?
The revised Arizona Spousal Maintenance Guidelines took effect on September 1, 2025. They apply to spousal maintenance orders entered on or after that date, including many original orders and modification orders, unless an exception applies.
If your divorce was filed before September 2025, but the court enters a support order after the effective date, the revised guidelines may still affect your case.
Do the Guidelines Decide Whether Someone Qualifies for Support?
No. The calculator does not decide eligibility. A spouse must first meet at least one eligibility factor under Arizona law before the court uses the guidelines to calculate a possible amount and duration.
Eligibility may involve financial need, earning capacity, length of marriage, age, employment history, contributions to the other spouse’s career, or the ability to become self-sufficient. A calculator result does not automatically mean the court must award maintenance.
How Do the 2025 Guidelines Affect the Amount of Support?
The revised guidelines use a calculator to create a monthly support range. The court then considers the facts of the case before deciding whether an award within that range is fair.
The calculation may account for:
- Each spouse’s income or earning capacity
- Family size
- Expenditure and income data for similar households
- The receiving spouse’s path toward self-sufficiency
- The paying spouse’s ability to pay
One practical change involves mortgage principal. Under the previous 2023 guidelines, the family’s monthly mortgage principal was added into the calculator. The September 2025 revision removed that step. This simplifies financial disclosures and may lower the calculated support range, especially for families with significant mortgage principal payments.
The revised guidelines also changed how the calculator treats higher-income households. The high-income adjustment now begins at $175,000 in annual intact family income instead of $100,000, and the maximum adjustment was reduced from 80% to 70%. For some higher-income divorcing spouses, this may produce a lower support range than the prior model.
The guidelines also state that debt is not considered in the calculator. Debt may still matter in the divorce, but it is usually addressed through property division, temporary orders, or other case-specific arguments.
How Long Can Spousal Maintenance Last?
The September 2025 guidelines also changed duration rules, especially for longer marriages. For marriages of 16 years or more that are not covered by the “Rule of 65,” the maximum standard duration increased to 12 years or 50% of the marriage length, whichever is greater.
The Rule of 65 may apply when the spouse seeking support is at least 42 years old, the marriage lasted at least 16 years, and the spouse’s age plus the length of the marriage equals at least 65. When this rule applies, duration is decided case by case rather than through the standard range.
These rules make marriage length, age, and filing dates important in spousal maintenance cases.
Can a Court Still Deviate From the Guideline Amount?
Yes. A court may deviate from the guideline amount if applying the range would be unfair or inappropriate. That could mean a higher amount, a lower amount, or no award.
Deviation may come up when the calculation does not reflect the financial reality of the case. Unusual income patterns, disputed earning capacity, health concerns, or other financial resources may affect how the court views support.
What Do the New Guidelines Mean If You Are Divorcing in Arizona?
If spousal maintenance may be an issue in your divorce, preparation matters. The court will need reliable information about income, expenses, employment history, earning capacity, property, and the length of the marriage.
You should be ready to discuss your current income, future earning ability, health issues, caregiving responsibilities, and whether temporary support is needed while the case is pending. If an existing order is involved, you may also need to review whether modification is available.
Even with a calculator, spousal maintenance remains fact-driven.
Get Clear Guidance Before Support Is Decided
Arizona’s September 2025 spousal maintenance revisions give courts a more detailed framework, but support still depends on the facts. The amount, duration, and availability of support can turn on how income, need, earning ability, and marriage length are presented.
At Cohen Family Law, we help clients understand how Arizona’s spousal maintenance rules may apply in divorce, legal separation, and modification cases. If you have questions about support or are preparing for divorce in Phoenix or elsewhere in Arizona, contact us to discuss your next steps.
