Divorce settlement calculator

Estimates only. Divorce outcomes depend heavily on your state's specific laws, the judge's discretion, and facts unique to your marriage. This calculator provides a general range for planning purposes only. A family law attorney evaluates your actual case. See our full disclaimer.

Divorce settlement estimator

Marriage and state info

Length of marriage (years)

State property system

Grounds for divorce

Assets and income

Total marital assets ($) Include home equity, retirement accounts, savings, investments, vehicles.

Total marital debt ($) Include mortgage balance, car loans, credit cards, student loans (marital portion).

Your annual income ($)

Spouse's annual income ($)

Children and custody

Number of minor children

Expected custody arrangement

Key factors

Were you the primary caregiver during the marriage?

Significant separate property brought into marriage?

Your divorce settlement estimate

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A family law attorney reviews your specific assets, income, and circumstances to give you a realistic settlement range and strategy. Free initial consultation in most areas.

Community property vs equitable distribution - what's the difference?

In the 9 community property states (California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Louisiana), most assets and debts acquired during the marriage are owned equally by both spouses and are divided 50/50 at divorce. Separate property - assets owned before marriage or received as gifts or inheritance during marriage - remains the separate property of that spouse. The community property system is straightforward in theory but creates complex tracing issues when separate and marital funds are mixed.

In the 41 equitable distribution states, courts divide marital property in a manner that is "fair" - which does not mean equal. Courts consider factors including the length of the marriage, each spouse's financial contributions, non-financial contributions (childcare, homemaking), economic circumstances of each spouse, standard of living during the marriage, and in some states, fault. The marital asset division tool breaks down individual asset categories in detail, and the contested vs uncontested divorce screener helps you understand the process and cost implications of your situation.

How is alimony calculated?

Alimony (also called spousal support or maintenance) is awarded when there's a significant income disparity between spouses and the lower-earning spouse needs financial assistance to maintain a reasonable standard of living. Courts consider: marriage length (longer marriages produce longer alimony), income disparity, the recipient's ability to become self-supporting, the standard of living during the marriage, and contributions to the paying spouse's career. Short marriages (under 5 years) rarely result in alimony. Long marriages (over 15 to 20 years) often produce long-term or permanent alimony when there's significant income disparity. Use the alimony duration estimator for a detailed calculation specific to your marriage length and income figures.

What happens to the family home in a divorce?

The family home is usually the largest single marital asset. There are 3 typical outcomes: one spouse buys out the other's share and keeps the home (requiring refinancing the mortgage in their name alone), both spouses agree to sell and split the proceeds, or in cases with young children, the custodial parent stays in the home temporarily until the youngest child reaches a specified age (then it's sold and proceeds divided). The buyout value is determined by the current market value minus the remaining mortgage balance - use your current home equity figure. Tax implications of each option differ and should be reviewed with a financial advisor alongside your attorney.

Frequently asked questions about divorce settlements

In most states, adultery has minimal impact on property division. Equitable distribution states focus primarily on financial contributions and circumstances, not marital fault, for asset division. However, in some fault states (Virginia, North Carolina, and a handful of others), adultery can affect or even bar alimony for the spouse who committed it. And if marital funds were used during the affair (vacation costs, gifts), a court may award the other spouse a credit for that "dissipation of marital assets." The impact varies significantly by state law.

Yes - the marital portion of retirement accounts is typically treated as marital property and divided. The marital portion is generally the amount contributed (and gains thereon) during the marriage period. Funds contributed before marriage remain separate property. Division of retirement accounts requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) - a specialized court order that directs the plan administrator to divide the account. A QDRO allows the receiving spouse to receive their share without early withdrawal penalties, but the process adds complexity and cost to the divorce.

Yes, significantly - a valid prenuptial agreement governs property division, alimony, and other financial matters at divorce according to its terms, superseding the default rules that would otherwise apply. Courts enforce prenups that were properly executed (in writing, signed by both parties, with independent counsel or a knowing waiver, and not signed under duress). Prenups can be challenged on grounds of fraud, coercion, unconscionability, or failure to disclose assets. If you have a prenup, your attorney's first task is evaluating its enforceability in your state before developing settlement strategy.

Uncontested divorces (where both spouses agree on all terms) can be finalized as quickly as the mandatory waiting period in your state (ranging from 0 to 6 months) plus processing time - often 3 to 6 months total. Contested divorces that require court intervention take 1 to 2 years on average, with complex high-asset cases sometimes taking 3 or more years. The single biggest driver of timeline is whether the parties can reach agreement - either directly or through mediation - or whether litigation is required. Use the divorce timeline estimator to model your expected timeline.

A divorce decree (also called a final judgment of dissolution of marriage) is the court order that legally ends the marriage and sets out all the terms of the settlement - property division, alimony, child custody, child support, and any other agreed or court-ordered provisions. It takes effect upon the judge signing it, at which point both spouses are legally single. Any arrangements that must occur after the decree (deed transfers, account rollovers, QDRO processing) are governed by the decree's terms and must be completed separately, often with attorney assistance to ensure proper execution.