In Illinois, “alimony” is called “maintenance.” These are payments one spouse is ordered to pay (or receive payments) for a period of time, typically after a divorce. Maintenance is not automatic — the court decides it based on the ability of each spouse to pay, length of marriage, lifestyle, and other factors.
What this means for you: don’t assume you will get or pay maintenance automatically. The outcome depends on an income-based analysis the court performs — a skilled attorney makes sure your side of that analysis is complete and correctly presented. Maintenance is separate from child support (see below).
How Illinois calculates it (the guideline): for many cases the statute applies a formula — roughly 33⅓% of the payor’s net income minus 25% of the recipient’s net income, capped so the recipient’s combined income doesn’t exceed 40% of the couple’s combined net. That formula is a starting point; the court can deviate based on the facts.
Watch out for: maintenance and child support are separate lines, and the formulas interact. A long marriage, a big income gap, or a spouse who left the workforce to raise children all push toward an award. Length of the marriage often drives how long payments last.
