Key takeaways:
- Tennessee has no alimony formula and no official alimony calculator. Judges decide case by case under Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) § 36-5-121.
- There are four types of alimony: rehabilitative, transitional, alimony in futuro (periodic) and alimony in solido (lump sum). The law prefers rehabilitation whenever it is possible.
- Courts must weigh 12 statutory factors. The Tennessee Supreme Court has said the two most important are the recipient’s need and the payer’s ability to pay.
- Each type ends and can be changed under different rules. Alimony in futuro ends automatically on the recipient’s remarriage; living with a new partner only creates a presumption the court can act on.
- Under federal law, alimony paid under a divorce agreement signed after 2018 is not deductible for the payer and not taxable income for the recipient.
Last reviewed: October 22, 2026. This article is general information about Tennessee law, not legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your own case.
If you searched for a Tennessee alimony calculator, here is the honest answer first: Tennessee does not have one. Unlike child support, which follows state guidelines and an official worksheet, spousal support in Tennessee is set by a judge using a list of factors in the statute. Any online tool that gives you a dollar figure is making assumptions the law does not make.
You can still build a realistic estimate once you understand the four types of alimony, the 12 factors and the “need versus ability to pay” logic courts use.
Contents
- Why there is no Tennessee alimony formula
- The four types of alimony
- The 12 factors in TCA 36-5-121
- How to estimate alimony yourself
- When alimony ends or can change
- Taxes and other practical points
- FAQ
Why there is no Tennessee alimony formula
TCA § 36-5-121 lets a court order “suitable support and maintenance” for a spouse, based on the facts of each case. The statute lists factors, not percentages, and it leaves the amount and length of any award to the judge’s discretion.
The legislature also explains its goals in the statute. It says homemaker and parenting contributions are “of equal dignity and importance” as economic contributions to the marriage. Where one spouse has been economically disadvantaged by the marriage, the aim is to rehabilitate that spouse whenever possible, and longer-term support is meant for cases where rehabilitation is not feasible.
Be careful with “Tennessee alimony calculators.” They apply percentages Tennessee law does not contain. The statute has no income-gap percentage, no duration chart and no income cutoff, so treat any result as a conversation starter, not a prediction.
The only official calculator the state publishes is for child support. If you have children, the Tennessee Department of Human Services child support guidelines and calculator are worth using, because child support is usually worked out alongside alimony and affects what each parent can afford.
The four types of alimony
| Type | Purpose | Can it be modified? | When it ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitative | Helps an economically disadvantaged spouse gain education, training or work experience to reach a reasonable earning capacity | Yes, on a substantial and material change in circumstances | At the recipient’s death; at the payer’s death unless the order says otherwise; or when the ordered term ends |
| Transitional | A fixed-period payment when rehabilitation is not needed but the spouse needs help adjusting to the economic consequences of divorce | Generally no, unless the agreement or decree allows it, or the recipient lives with a third person | At the end of the set period; at the recipient’s death; at the payer’s death unless the decree says otherwise; or on other conditions the court sets, such as remarriage |
| Alimony in futuro (periodic) | Long-term support when rehabilitation is not feasible, or only partly feasible | Yes, on a substantial and material change in circumstances | Automatically on the recipient’s death or remarriage; at the payer’s death unless the order says otherwise |
| Alimony in solido (lump sum) | A fixed total amount, which can be paid in installments; can include attorney fees | No, except by agreement of the parties | Does not end on either party’s death or remarriage |
A court can combine types, for example rehabilitative alimony during retraining plus alimony in solido for attorney fees. Temporary support while the divorce is pending is also available.
The statute sets no minimum marriage length for any type. You may read online that alimony in futuro “requires” a 20-year marriage or that support “cannot last longer than the marriage.” Those are not rules in TCA § 36-5-121. Marriage length is one factor among twelve.
The 12 factors in TCA 36-5-121
Under subsection (i), the court considers all relevant factors, including:
- Each spouse’s relative earning capacity, obligations, needs and financial resources, including income from pensions and retirement plans
- Each spouse’s education and training, and the ability and opportunity to get more education or training to improve earning capacity
- How long the marriage lasted
- Each spouse’s age and mental condition
- Each spouse’s physical condition, including any disability or chronic debilitating disease
- Whether it would be undesirable for a spouse to work outside the home because they are caring for a minor child of the marriage
- Each spouse’s separate assets, real and personal, tangible and intangible
- How the marital property was divided under TCA § 36-4-121
- The standard of living established during the marriage
- Each spouse’s contributions to the marriage, including homemaking, child care and helping the other spouse’s education or career
- Relative fault of the parties, where the court finds it appropriate
- Any other factors the court considers necessary to balance the equities, including tax consequences
In Gonsewski v. Gonsewski, 350 S.W.3d 99 (Tenn. 2011), the Tennessee Supreme Court confirmed that trial judges have broad discretion and that, among all the factors, the two considered most important are the disadvantaged spouse’s need and the paying spouse’s ability to pay.
How to estimate alimony yourself
Because need and ability to pay matter most, the most useful “calculator” is a simple budget comparison. Courts look at reasonable expenses, not just whatever was spent, and at income from all sources.
- Recipient’s need: reasonable monthly expenses minus the recipient’s own monthly income (or the income they could reasonably earn).
- Payer’s ability to pay: the payer’s monthly income minus the payer’s own reasonable monthly expenses.
- Starting range: an award is usually limited by the smaller of those two numbers. The judge then weighs the other factors to decide the type and length.
Worked example (illustration only): Suppose the spouse asking for support has reasonable expenses of $4,200 a month and net income of $2,900. Their need is $4,200 − $2,900 = $1,300. The other spouse has net income of $6,500 and reasonable expenses of $4,800, so their ability to pay is $6,500 − $4,800 = $1,700. The smaller figure is $1,300, so that is a realistic ceiling to discuss.
If the payer’s reasonable expenses were $5,600 instead, their ability to pay would drop to $900, and $900 would become the practical limit even though the need is higher.
If a judge chose transitional alimony of $1,300 a month for 36 months, the total would be $1,300 × 36 = $46,800. These numbers are made up to show the method; they are not typical Tennessee awards.
Support each line with documents: tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, a written monthly budget and records of career sacrifices, such as leaving a job to care for children.
If property division is part of the picture, remember that it interacts with alimony: factor 8 asks how the marital property was divided. Our guides to the house buyout calculation and equalization payments explain that side.
When alimony ends or can change
- Remarriage: alimony in futuro ends automatically and unconditionally when the recipient remarries, and the recipient must notify the payer right away. Transitional alimony ends on remarriage only if the court’s order says so. Alimony in solido does not end on remarriage.
- Living with a new partner: there is no “30 days” rule in the statute. If a recipient of alimony in futuro or transitional alimony lives with a third person, the law creates a rebuttable presumption that the recipient no longer needs the full amount, either because the third person contributes support or because the recipient is supporting them. The payer still has to ask the court, which may suspend all or part of the payments.
- Death: rehabilitative, transitional and in futuro alimony end at the recipient’s death, and at the payer’s death unless the order specifically says otherwise.
- Modification: rehabilitative alimony and alimony in futuro can be increased, decreased or ended when there is a substantial and material change in circumstances. The statute sets no percentage threshold. To extend or increase rehabilitative alimony, the recipient must show they made all reasonable efforts at rehabilitation and those efforts did not succeed.
Security for payments: the court can order a spouse to keep life insurance naming the other spouse as beneficiary to secure alimony, and can order one spouse to pay health insurance premiums for the other for a period the court decides.
Taxes and other practical points
For divorce or separation agreements signed after December 31, 2018, the IRS says the payer cannot deduct alimony and the recipient does not include it in income. Older agreements keep the old rules unless they are modified and the modification expressly adopts the new treatment.
Most divorces settle. A negotiated agreement can choose the type of alimony, the amount, the length and the termination events, as long as the court approves it. If you are unsure what is realistic in your county, an attorney can advise you on your situation, and the Tennessee courts’ self-help center lists free and low-cost resources.
FAQ
Is there an official Tennessee alimony calculator?
No. Tennessee has no alimony formula and no official alimony calculator. Judges decide based on the factors in TCA 36-5-121, with need and ability to pay considered the most important. The state’s official calculator is for child support only.
How long does alimony last in Tennessee?
It depends on the type. Transitional alimony lasts a fixed period, rehabilitative alimony lasts for the period the court sets, alimony in futuro is long-term until the recipient’s death or remarriage unless modified, and alimony in solido is a fixed total. The statute sets no duration chart and no minimum marriage length.
Does living with a new partner end alimony in Tennessee?
Not automatically. For alimony in futuro and transitional alimony, living with a third person creates a rebuttable presumption that the recipient needs less support, and the court may suspend all or part of the payments. Remarriage, by contrast, automatically ends alimony in futuro.
Can Tennessee alimony be modified?
Rehabilitative alimony and alimony in futuro can be modified on a substantial and material change in circumstances. Transitional alimony generally cannot be modified unless the agreement or decree allows it or the cohabitation presumption applies. Alimony in solido can be changed only by agreement.
Sources: Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-121 (2025 code); Gonsewski v. Gonsewski, 350 S.W.3d 99 (Tenn. 2011); IRS Topic 452, Alimony and separate maintenance; Tennessee DHS child support guidelines.
