Connecticut Alimony / Spousal Support Estimator

Connecticut has no alimony formula or guideline calculation. Under C.G.S. § 46b-82, judges use broad discretion to weigh 12 statutory factors including marriage length, each spouse's income, earning capacity, age, health, station, education, and employability. The court also considers the property division awarded under § 46b-81. Two cases with similar incomes can produce very different outcomes depending on how the judge weighs these factors.

Connecticut courts award four types of alimony: temporary (pendente lite) support during the divorce, rehabilitative alimony for a set period to help the recipient become self-supporting, permanent alimony until death or remarriage, and lump-sum alimony as a one-time payment. Rehabilitative alimony is the most commonly awarded type. Permanent alimony is rare, typically reserved for marriages exceeding 20 years where the recipient cannot achieve self-sufficiency.

Connecticut has no statutory durational limits or caps on alimony based on marriage length. Duration is entirely within the court's discretion under C.G.S. § 46b-82. Short marriages under 5 years rarely result in alimony; marriages of 10–20 years commonly receive rehabilitative support; marriages over 20 years may warrant longer-term or, in rare cases, permanent alimony. The court must specify the basis for any indefinite alimony order.

Under C.G.S. § 46b-82, Connecticut courts must consider: length of the marriage, causes for the dissolution, age, health, station, occupation, income sources, earning capacity, vocational skills, education, employability, estate and needs of each spouse, and any property division under § 46b-81. The court also evaluates whether the custodial parent can feasibly secure employment. No single factor controls — judges weigh all factors holistically.

Yes, under C.G.S. § 46b-86, alimony can be modified upon proof of a substantial change in circumstances, such as job loss, disability, or significant income change. If the recipient is cohabitating with another person, the modification threshold is lower — the payor need only show the living arrangement altered the recipient's financial needs. However, if the divorce decree specifically states alimony is non-modifiable, no changes are permitted.

Yes, but it is one factor among many. Connecticut is a no-fault divorce state, yet § 46b-82 requires courts to consider the "causes for the dissolution" when setting alimony. A judge may increase alimony to the faithful spouse or decrease it for the unfaithful spouse, particularly when adultery caused dissipation of marital assets. However, fault alone rarely determines the outcome. Notably, fault is not considered for temporary pendente lite alimony under § 46b-83.

For divorce agreements executed after December 31, 2018, alimony is not deductible by the payor and not taxable income for the recipient under federal law per the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Connecticut conforms to this federal treatment. For agreements finalized before 2019 that have not been modified, the old rules apply — the payor deducts payments and the recipient reports them as income.

Connecticut courts generally enforce prenuptial agreements that waive or limit alimony, provided the agreement was executed voluntarily with full financial disclosure by both parties under C.G.S. § 46b-36a through § 46b-36j. However, if enforcing the waiver would leave one spouse unable to meet basic needs or reliant on public assistance, the court may decline to enforce it. The agreement must be in writing and signed by both parties before the marriage.