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Alimony Calculator Indiana


A Short Introduction to the Indiana Alimony Calculator

What is an alimony calculator for Indiana?

In theory, an alimony calculator in Indiana will estimate for you your alimony payments based on a few simple variables such as both spouses’ Gross Annual Incomes. However, in practice  there is simply no useful alimony calculator for Indiana because the state’s guidelines regarding how alimony is established are very loose, leaving freedom up to judges, when what is needed for an Indiana alimony calculator is a hard formula that judges have to follow.

However, just because there aren’t any alimony calculators in Indiana you don’t have to be completely in the dark about how alimony payments are calculated. In fact, there are many statutes available that can help you estimate if alimony will be necessary and what amount will be ordered.

What does the law say about the Indiana alimony calculator?

Indiana Code 31-15-7 concerns when alimony should be ordered and the factors going into that decision. It stipulates that the alimony payments should only be included in a Marital Settlement if one of three facts following prove true:

1. One spouse is mentally or physically unable of supporting their own quality of living, OR

2. One spouse lacks sufficient property allotted after a Marital Settlement to support their standard of living, taking into account both jointly owned marital property and individually owned property held during the marriage such as inherited property, OR

3. One spouse has custodial guardianship of a dependent such as a minor or a disabled adult and because of the duties related to custody is unable to seek full employment.

If one of the above is true in your situation, then you should estimate the results of an alimony calculator for Indiana to see what the judge’s order could be. Know that Indiana Code 31-5-7 also numerates the factors that a judge should consider in stipulating an amount,so this is the first place you should look during your estimation process. The factors are:

1. the education level of each spouse both at the marriage’s inception and at its commencement;

2. the need for further education for one spouse to be competitive in the employment world;

3. how much money each spouse can make given their resume and educational history; and

4. how much further education is needed in order to enter competitively into the job market.

What types of alimony do judges award?

There are three types of orders that an Indiana alimony calculator may estimate. You’ll only ever receive one type at any one type. 

1. Temporary alimony, based on a married couple’s standard of living during their marriage and only active in the time between when the divorce process is initiated and when it is concluded.

2. Permanent alimony, the most famous type of alimony. It is not necessarily permanent but will last for the period of a court order but has no particular goal other than helping one spouse’s standards of living.

3. Rehabilitative alimony, which many of the rules above for the Indiana alimony calculator relate to, since it pays for the under-earning spouse to get re-education and re-enter the workplace. It usually lasts three years or less.

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