Vermont Alimony guidelines
These guidelines were included in statute on June 5, 2017. Current statute regarding alimony is in the Maintenance section of Subchapter 6; however, the online formatting of the guidelines is poor, making it difficult to read. They are included below.
Spousal Support Guidelines
Note: These will be repealed July 1, 2021.
| Length of marriage | % of the difference between parties’ gross incomes | Duration of alimony award as % of length of marriage |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to <5 years | 0 – 20% | No alimony or short-term alimony up to one year |
| 5 to <10 years | 15 – 35% | 20 – 50% (1 – 5 yrs) |
| 10 to <15 years | 20 – 40% | 40 – 60% (3 – 9 yrs) |
| 15 to <20 years | 24 – 45% | 40 – 70% (6 – 14 yrs) |
| 20+ years | 30 – 50% |
45% (9–20+ yrs)
|
Notes from the Family Division Oversight Committee’s original draft from 2012:
-
- Duration would be affected by length of marriage within the designated range and the discrepancy in incomes of the parties, as well as the ages of the parties at time of divorce. The younger the parties (or the recipient), the closer to the lower end of the range.
- Guidelines assume an approximately equal division of the marital estate. An award of property in lieu of maintenance or sufficient property to generate income would lead to lower amount of alimony (or no alimony) and/or for shorter duration.
- The statutory factors, including threshold determination, would still apply. See 15 VSA §752.
Illustrations of Guidelines
Example 1:
Party A: $100,000
Party B: $25,000
Marriage: less than 5 years (0 to 20%)
Difference in income: $75,000
Maximum alimony: 20% of $75,000 = $15,000 paid (in addition to B’s earned income of $25,000)
A’s net (earned – alimony) income: $85,000; B’s net (alimony + earned) income: $40,000
Maximum duration: 1 year
Minimum: zero alimony
Example 2:
Party A: $100,000
Party B: $25,000
Marriage: 5 to less than 10 years (15 to 35%)
Difference in income: $75,000
Maximum alimony: 35% of $75,000 = $26,250
A’s net income: $73,750; B’s net income: $51,250
Maximum duration: 5 years
Minimum alimony: 15% of $75,000 = $11,250
A’s net income: $88,750; B’s net income: $36,250
Minimum duration: 1 year
Scan of original document from the committee: Vermont Alimony Guideline (PDF)
Date: February 21, 2019
By: Erik Wheeler
URL: https://www.accordmediationvt.com/resources/vermont-alimony/
