These tools are free, for anyone, and nothing you enter is sent to the firm. They apply the rules but cannot weigh the facts of your case. When you want that judgment, a paid session puts Attorney Levine on your specific matter, for one-time guidance or as a first step if you decide to retain.
See how a paid session works →Looking for an alimony calculator? Pennsylvania has no formula for alimony after the divorce. Its amount and length turn on the factors in the Divorce Code, which is why no calculator can estimate it honestly. This estimator covers spousal support and APL, the two support figures that do follow a formula. How Long Alimony Lasts explains how courts and negotiated settlements decide the rest.
Estimate Monthly Spousal Support / APL
Enter both spouses' monthly net incomes (after federal, state, and local taxes; FICA; mandatory retirement and union dues; existing support orders for other relationships). The formula adjusts based on whether minor children are involved.
Estimated Monthly Support
Have this figure reviewed by Attorney Levine. The formula cannot see entitlement defenses, earning capacity, bonus or business income, or how support interacts with alimony and the division of the marital estate. A Strategy Session works through those with your real numbers. How the session works.
Request a Strategy SessionHow Pennsylvania Calculates Spousal Support and APL
Pennsylvania uses a formula under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-4 to determine the basic monthly obligation. The formula starts with the difference between the parties' monthly net incomes and applies a percentage based on whether minor children of the marriage are involved.
The Formula
(33% × higher earner net income) − (40% × lower earner net income)
= Estimated monthly spousal support / APL
With minor children:
(25% × higher earner net income) − (30% × lower earner net income)
= Estimated monthly spousal support / APL
The lower percentages when minor children are involved reflect that child support is calculated separately and the obligor spouse is already supporting the children through that obligation. If the formula yields a negative number, the result floors at $0.
Self-Support Reserve Adjustment
Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-2(e)(1) requires the trier-of-fact to adjust the support obligation so the obligor keeps at least $1,255 per month in net income. That floor is the Self-Support Reserve (SSR). When the basic formula would leave the obligor below the SSR, the order is reduced. This estimator applies the SSR floor automatically and shows the adjusted figure when the rule kicks in.
Worked example from the rule itself: obligor $1,500 net, obligee $300 net, no kids. The basic formula produces $375 (($1,500 × 33%) − ($300 × 40%)). That figure would leave the obligor with $1,125, below the $1,255 SSR, so the order is reduced to $245 ($1,500 − $1,255).
What This Estimator Does Not Model
The estimator applies the basic formula and the SSR floor. It does not model:
- Shaded-area exception. When the obligor’s adjusted net income (after spousal support) falls in the shaded area of the basic child support schedule and minor children are involved, the trier-of-fact shall award child support only, and no spousal support, per Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-2(e)(1)(iv).
- Earning capacity imputation. When a party is voluntarily under-employed, the court may impute income beyond actual earnings under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-2(d).
- Self-employment adjustments. Self-employed parties have additional rules for income calculation under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-2(a)(2).
- Discretionary deviations. The trier-of-fact may deviate from the formula based on factors at Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-5.
- Combined order interaction. When child support and spousal support are both ordered, the offset rules under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-4(e) apply.
Spousal Support vs. APL vs. Alimony
These three terms refer to different forms of support that arise at different stages of a divorce:
- Spousal support: Available when spouses are separated but no divorce action has been filed. Defenses (such as marital misconduct) may apply.
- Alimony Pendente Lite (APL): Available once a divorce action has been filed. Same formula as spousal support, but no fault-based defenses apply. APL ensures the dependent spouse can financially participate in the divorce litigation itself.
- Alimony: Awarded after the divorce decree, based on 17 statutory factors (including length of marriage, earning capacities, contributions, standard of living during the marriage). Alimony is not formula-driven; it is determined case-by-case at the court's discretion. (See the support and alimony page for how these claims are handled in practice.)
This estimator addresses only spousal support and APL, the formula-driven calculations. Alimony post-divorce is a separate analysis.
What "Net Income" Means
For Pennsylvania support purposes, net income is gross monthly income minus:
- Federal, state, and local income taxes
- FICA payments (Social Security and Medicare)
- Mandatory retirement contributions
- Mandatory union dues
- Existing support orders for other relationships (non-marital)
It does not include voluntary deductions (additional retirement contributions beyond what is mandatory, health insurance for the obligor's own coverage, etc.). For self-employed individuals, business expenses must be reasonable and necessary; courts often adjust apparent net income for owner-spouses of small businesses.
Why This Is an Estimate
The formula produces a starting number, but actual orders may differ for several reasons:
- Earning capacity vs. actual earnings. If a party is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, the court may impute earning capacity, which changes the calculation.
- Self-support reserve and high-income deviations. Pennsylvania's guidelines include adjustments at the lower and upper ends of the income spectrum.
- Deviations under Rule 1910.16-5. The court can deviate from the guideline result based on unusual needs, fixed obligations, child medical/educational expenses, age and health of the parties, and other factors.
- Combined orders. When child support and spousal support / APL are both ordered, the calculations interact. The estimator above shows spousal support / APL alone.
A precise calculation reflecting your specific facts, including child support interaction, deviations, earning capacity arguments, or self-employed income, calls for counsel review.
If property division is also open, see Out-of-Court Divorce Settlement.
The estimate is not the order.
A Strategy Session takes the estimate and works out what will be paid, for how long, and how it interacts with alimony and the division of the marital estate. One hour with Attorney Levine.
Request a Strategy SessionA free ten-minute call is also available.
Want your number reviewed by an attorney? A calculator applies the guideline. It cannot weigh earning capacity, self-employment or cash income, deviations, the date of separation, or how custody overnights shift the result. A half hour with the attorney runs your figures, reviews them as an attorney rather than a formula, and frames your next step. It can be extended to an hour when needed.
See how your number is decided →Reviewing the Number
Important: Read This
This estimator provides general information based on the basic Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-4 formula and applies the Self-Support Reserve under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-2(e)(1). It does not model the shaded-area exception, earning capacity imputation, self-employment income adjustments, deviations under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-5, or the offset rules that apply when child support and spousal support are both ordered under Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-4(e). Before relying on any estimate for negotiation or filing decisions, consult with a licensed Pennsylvania family law attorney about the specific facts of your matter. The estimator reflects Pa.R.C.P. 1910.16-4 as of May 2026; consult with counsel regarding any subsequent rule changes.
This tool is provided "as is" for educational and informational purposes only. The Law Offices of Scott L. Levine, LLC makes no warranties (express, implied, or otherwise) regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of any output to any specific case. Use of this tool does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. No user should rely on the output to make legal, financial, or strategic decisions without independent review by a licensed Pennsylvania attorney familiar with the specific facts of the matter.
This tool, including its text, design, and code, is © 2026 Law Offices of Scott L. Levine, LLC. All rights reserved.