Quick answer: Arizona does have spousal maintenance guidelines. A spouse must first be eligible under A.R.S. 25-319(A); the court then applies the Supreme Court’s guidelines to find an amount range and a duration range, and it may award maintenance only for the time and in the amount needed for the receiving spouse to become self-sufficient. The duration range depends on the length of the marriage: 3 to 12 months under 24 months, up to 144 months (or half the marriage, if longer) for marriages of 16 years or more, and the court’s discretion when the Rule of 65 applies. The amount comes from the court’s official calculator.
What this calculator shows, and why it shows no dollar amount
The duration ranges in the guidelines are fixed rules based on dates, so this calculator applies them exactly. The amount range is different: the guidelines direct courts to the Supreme Court’s Spousal Maintenance Calculator, which uses Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey data, a high-income adjustment and other inputs that are not printed in the guidelines. A copy of that logic on this page could not be verified, so it shows no amount and points you to the court’s official Spousal Maintenance Calculator. The Arizona property division calculator covers how property, which the court weighs as a financial resource, is divided.
Eligibility comes first
Under A.R.S. 25-319(A), a court may grant maintenance if the spouse seeking it meets at least one of five conditions:
- lacks sufficient property, including property apportioned to the spouse, to provide for reasonable needs;
- lacks earning ability in the labor market adequate to be self-sufficient;
- is the parent of a child whose age or condition means the parent should not be required to seek employment outside the home;
- made a significant financial or other contribution to the other spouse’s education, training or career, or significantly reduced income or career opportunities for the other’s benefit; or
- had a marriage of long duration and is of an age that may preclude adequate employment.
A calculator result cannot be used to prove eligibility. Marital misconduct is not considered. The types of maintenance are explained in Arizona spousal maintenance types.
How the duration range works
Marriage length is counted in months from the date of marriage to the date the petition is served; time before the legal marriage is left out, and periods of separation before a petition count. The standard ranges, the Rule of 65, disability and extraordinary circumstances are covered in how long maintenance lasts in Arizona. The court cannot deviate from the duration ranges.
When the guidelines apply
The guidelines apply to dissolution and legal separation petitions filed on or after September 24, 2022 unless the parties stipulate otherwise. For a contested petition the court must use them. Parties can agree to terms under A.R.S. 25-317 without using the guidelines if each acknowledges awareness of the guidelines and the calculator. If the court considers both spousal maintenance and child support, it determines spousal maintenance first.
Spousal maintenance across Arizona
The guidelines and statute apply in every Arizona superior court, from Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale, Prescott or Flagstaff. A petition is filed in the county where one of the spouses lives after at least 90 days of Arizona residence (A.R.S. 25-312). Once maintenance is awarded, what can change or end it is covered in modifying or ending maintenance in Arizona.
Frequently asked questions
Does Arizona have spousal maintenance guidelines?
Yes. A.R.S. 25-319(B) directs the Supreme Court to establish guidelines, and the current guidelines took effect September 1, 2025. They produce an amount range and a duration range through the court's official calculator.
How long does spousal maintenance last in Arizona?
It depends on the length of the marriage: 3 to 12 months under 24 months; 6 to 36 months from 24 to under 60; 6 to 48 months from 60 to under 120; 12 to 60 months from 120 to under 192; and 12 to 144 months or half the marriage, whichever is greater, at 192 months or more.
What is the Rule of 65 in Arizona?
When the spouse seeking maintenance is at least 42, the marriage lasted at least 16 years and age plus marriage length is at least 65, the duration is decided case by case instead of by the standard range.
Is there lifetime alimony in Arizona?
No. The guidelines say there are no lifetime awards. An award is limited to the time needed for the receiving spouse to become self-sufficient, though some awards are indefinite-term and a permanently disabled spouse's duration is decided case by case.
Does fault matter for spousal maintenance in Arizona?
No. A maintenance order is made without regard to marital misconduct, although actual damages from criminal conduct against the other spouse or a child and wasteful spending are factors.