Wisconsin Wisconsin

Alimony Guide - Spousal Support Laws

What Is Alimony / Spousal Support?

What is Alimony?

Alimony, also known as spousal support, is a court-ordered provision of financial support a spouse for after a divorce. Alimony laws vary considerably from state to state, and courts often have significant flexibility on a case-by-case basis in determing whether to award alimony, how much alimony to award, and how long alimony payments will continue.




Wisconsin Alimony Law Summary

How is Alimony Decided?

In the state of Wisconsin, following the judgment of annulment, divorce, or legal separation, the court may grant maintenance payments to either spouse for a limited or indefinite amount of time after the order has been made. This maintenance is otherwise known as alimony. Alimony payments are dependent on several factors.



Some factors that may change the court’s decision in amount, length, or requirement of alimony payments include, but are not limited to, are: the length of time the marriage continued successfully, the age and physical and mental health of both parties, The division of the property made during the process of the divorce or separation, and the earning abilities of both parties following the divorce. Included in the earning capacity of both individuals would be the education level, work skills, training, work experience, length of absence from the job market, the job market for their profession, and the length of time and expenses necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to find appropriate employment. The likelihood that the party seeking maintenance will be capably of achieving the same standard of living on their own, and the length of time it would take to achieve it, will also be considered by the court.



Custody of any children, and any child support required between parties of the divorce, are two other factors in the amount and consideration of alimony. If the spouse with custody of the children is unable to support themselves due to the children being of an age or condition that it hinders the individual’s ability to support the child, such as if they must remain home to care for the child, it would severely influence the case for alimony to be received by the custodian of said child or children.



The contributions each party made to the welfare of the marriage and each spouse will also be taken into consideration. Any other factor that the court and judge deem relevant to the case will also be taken into consideration. In the end, if an agreement cannot be made between the two parties, alimony is awarded at the final judgment of the judge and court deciding the case.


Get an estimation on how much alimony you can expect to pay in the United States. Click here to get a high, low, and average estimate on alimony payments!

Wisconsin | What Is Considered When Calculating Alimony

In the state of Wisconsin, a number of factors are taken into account when calculating the amount and duration of alimony or spousal support payments.


Is there a set list of statutory factors for calculating alimony?

Wisconsin has a defined list of factors, described in statutory law, that are legally required to be considered by a judge when determining alimony payments. These factors may be directly connected to the alimony calculation formula.

Is marital fault considered in Wisconsin alimony?

Wisconsin does not consider marital fault when determining alimony payments. This means that divorces considered "at-fault" due to cheating or infidelity, abuse, or other factors do not affect the calculation of alimony payments.

Is standard of living considered in Wisconsin alimony?

Standard of living is considered when calculating alimony payments in the state of Wisconsin. This means that a judge will consider the lifestyle enjoyed by the alimony-receiving spouse during the duration of the marriage when determining an appropriate alimony payment amount.

Is custodial status considered when determining alimony in the state of Wisconsin?

The judge in the state of Wisconsin considers custodial status when determining alimony payments. This means that alimony calculations are affected by whether or not the receiving spouse has custody of the children, and custodial spouses may receive higher alimony payments.

How exactly is alimony calculated in the state of Wisconsin?

Calculation of alimony is generally done on a case-by-case basis by the Wisconsin family court judge who is responsible for the case. While some states have a fixed alimony calculation formula, in most cases the final amount and duration of alimony awarded (if alimony is awarded) is at the discretion of the judge.


Wisconsin Alimony FAQ

How long must alimony be paid?
The duration of payments is determined by a judge in Wisconsin family court. Alimony length is usually based on length of marriage - one commonly used standard for alimony duration is that 1 year of alimony is paid every three years of marriage (however, this is not always the case in every state or with every judge). Alimony may also be discontinued upon the remarriage or cohabitation of the receiving spouse. In some cases, judges may even award permanent alimony.
What happens if alimony isn't paid?
If alimony is unpaid, the owed debt is known as alimony arrears. Arrears can be collected via mediation, small claims court, or wage garnishment. Failure to comply with a court-issued spousal support order may also result in a contempt of court charge against the spouse who failed to pay owed alimony.
Can alimony be waived by a prenuptual agreement?
A prenup agreement is a contract between spouses regarding marriage-related financial matters signed prior to marriage. Limitation or waiving rights to alimony is a frequent clause in modern prenuptual agreements, but some states or localities prohibit such alimony waivers.
Can alimony be collected if you're not married?
The legal concept of alimony, otherwise known as spousal support, is dependant upon a legal marriage. However, in some areas - especially those with a concept of common-law marriage - "palimony", or support payments between non-married individuals, has been awarded by courts. However, this generally requires extenuating circumstances.
What is alimony mediation?

When a marriage ends through divorce and alimony is expected to be paid, spouses have the choice to determine an alimony agreement either through litigation (in Wisconsin family court) or through mutual agreement. Often, a Wisconsin alimony mediator can be brought in to help the ex-spouses come to a mutual agreement regarding alimony and other contested issues such as property division, and thus avoid having to go to court.

How are alimony payments taxed?

On a federal level, all qualifying Wisconsin alimony payments are deductible by the payor, and counted as taxable income by the recipient. To qualify as alimony under IRS guidelines, the following must be true:

  • The payments are in cash
  • The parties live in seperate households
  • The payments are strictly for alimony (as opposed to for child support, etc)

Taxation of alimony varies on a state and local level. You can learn more about Wisconsin income taxes here .


| State Law Official Text


** This Document Provided By MaritalLaws **
Source: http://www.maritallaws.com/states/wisconsin/alimony