Duration of Alimony in Illinois
In Illinois, the duration of alimony, or spousal maintenance, depends on the marriage’s duration. In a marriage of under 5 years, maintenance payments last for 20% of the marriage’s length. For a 9-10 year marriage, alimony payments last 40% of the marriage’s length. 20+ years of marriage means alimony will either last the marriage’s length or indefinitely.
How Long Does Alimony Last?
The duration of alimony depends on the length of the marriage. To figure out how long your alimony will last, check the table below. Take the length of the marriage in years and multiply it by the associated percent to see how long the alimony will need to be paid.
| Duration of Marriage (in years) | Duration of Alimony |
| Less than 5 | 20% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 5-6 | 24% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 6-7 | 28% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 7-8 | 32% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 8-9 | 36% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 9-10 | 40% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 10-11 | 44% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 11-12 | 48% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 12-13 | 52% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 13-14 | 56% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 14-15 | 60% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 15-16 | 64% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 16-17 | 68% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 17-18 | 72% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 18-19 | 76% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 19-20 | 80% of the Marriage’s Length |
| 20+ | 100% of the Marriage’s Length or Indefinitely[1] |
While these numbers are in the Illinois statutes, the judge still makes the final decision.
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Considerations
How Is Maintenance Calculated?
The Illinois courts award alimony, also called maintenance, based on need, ability, and any other factor the courts deem appropriate. Once awarded, they calculate alimony based on each party’s income. Use our alimony calculator to see what spousal maintenance payments could look like for you.
How Does Alimony End?
There are three reasons to terminate alimony orders in Illinois. First, using the above table, the court sets a date for alimony to end, and when that date is reached, it ends. Spousal maintenance also ends if the spouse receiving alimony moves in with a new significant other or gets remarried.
Finally, if there is a significant change in financial circumstances, spousal maintenance can end early. This is the hardest to prove, so having an attorney to help becomes even more important here. For any legal help on spousal maintenance, using a family law attorney such as one from Sterling Lawyers, LLC gives the best chance of success.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does alimony last in Illinois?
Alimony lasts for different lengths of time based on how long you were married. It can last anywhere from a few years to 20 years or more. If you are already paying alimony, you can look at your court order to see when it ends.
How long do you have to be married to get alimony in Illinois?
The longer you are married, the more likely alimony will be. There is no set amount of time where alimony is a certainty. Rather, there are several alimony factors the court looks at such as earning capacity and standard of living.
Does Illinois have lifetime alimony?
Illinois does have lifetime or indefinite alimony. This type of alimony lasts until one of the parties passes away or gets remarried. Indefinite alimony only gets ordered in marriages that lasted 20 years or more.
How much alimony does a wife get in Illinois?
How much alimony someone gets depends on the factors of the case. You can use our alimony calculator to estimate alimony payments based on your situation.
References: 1.750 ILCS § 5/504 (b)(1)(B). Property, Support, and Attorney Fees.