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Spousal maintenance is limited in Texas, and this tool screens both the eligibility test and the statutory caps. A spouse must first show they will lack the property or income to meet their minimum reasonable needs after divorce, plus a qualifying ground — most commonly a marriage of 10 years or longer where the spouse cannot earn enough to meet those needs, but also family violence, a disabling condition, or caring for a disabled child.
If maintenance is ordered, Texas caps the amount at the lesser of $5,000 per month or 20% of the paying spouse's average monthly gross income, and caps the duration by the length of the marriage — generally up to 5, 7, or 10 years. The tool checks eligibility, applies the caps, and notes the diligence presumption that applies to the 10-year route.
A spouse must lack sufficient property or income to meet their minimum reasonable needs and meet a ground — a 10-year-plus marriage with inability to earn enough, family violence, a disability, or caring for a disabled child. Our tool screens each requirement.
If ordered, it's capped at the lesser of $5,000 per month or 20% of the paying spouse's average monthly gross income. Enter the payer's gross income and the tool applies the cap.
Duration is capped by the length of the marriage — generally up to 5 years for 10-to-20-year marriages, 7 years for 20-to-30-year marriages, and 10 years for 30-plus-year marriages. It ends earlier if the recipient remarries or cohabits.
'Alimony' usually refers to a voluntary, contractual arrangement between spouses, while 'spousal maintenance' is court-ordered under Texas Family Code Chapter 8. This tool estimates court-ordered maintenance and its statutory caps.
No. It screens the statutory eligibility and caps to help you prepare. A court decides whether and how much to award; confirm your situation with a Texas family-law attorney.
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