State alimony comparison
Recommended workflow
Start with the legal differences below, run one shared estimate scenario, then open each state guide for the detailed framework courts may apply.
Use this side-by-side data view as a starting point, then review the linked state law guides and calculators for deeper planning context.
| Factor | Florida | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Support term | alimony | spousal maintenance |
| Formula profile | statutory-net | discretionary |
| Property system | equitable | community |
| Legal framework | Temporary alimony may be awarded while the divorce is pending to maintain financial stability during litigation. Final alimony awards are governed by Florida Statutes § 61.08 and require findings regarding both need and ability to pay before any award can be entered. | Temporary maintenance may be awarded during a divorce or legal separation to preserve financial stability while the case is pending. Final maintenance is governed primarily by RCW 26.09.090 and is determined through judicial discretion rather than a mandatory statewide formula. |
| Statute citation | Florida Statutes § 61.08 (2026) | RCW 26.09.090; RCW 26.09.080; RCW 26.09.170 |
Best for
Relocation planning, negotiation prep, and state-by-state estimate checks.
Use with
Florida and Washington calculators for same-fact estimates.
Remember
Support outcomes still depend on judge discretion, facts, and local procedure.
Same-facts estimate
Use the same income and marriage facts to see how the planning estimate changes between Florida and Washington. This is educational, not a court prediction.
Statutory durational-alimony estimate: the lesser of the recipient's reasonable need or 35% of the difference between the parties' net incomes, adjusted conservatively for marriage length and ability to pay.
$1,750/mo
Planning range: $1,400-$2,100/mo
Duration: About 9 years
Conservative educational estimate based on need, ability to pay, income disparity, marriage length, marital standard of living, financial resources, earning capacity, education or training needs, age, health, and Washington statutory factors; no mandatory statewide formula applies.
$1,467/mo
Planning range: $954-$1,980/mo
Duration: Medium to long marriage
Washington relies heavily on court discretion or limited eligibility rules, so this estimate should be treated as a broad planning range.
Florida: Florida no longer awards permanent alimony for initial petitions governed by the current statute. Courts may award temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational alimony only after making specific factual findings that the requesting spouse has actual need and the other spouse has ability to pay. Durational alimony is capped at reasonable need or 35% of the parties' net-income difference, whichever is less. Washington: Conservative educational estimate based on need, ability to pay, income disparity, marriage length, marital standard of living, financial resources, earning capacity, education or training needs, age, health, and Washington statutory factors; no mandatory statewide formula applies.
Florida: Florida classifies marriages as short-term if less than 10 years, moderate-term if 10 to less than 20 years, and long-term if 20 years or more. Bridge-the-gap alimony may not exceed 2 years. Rehabilitative alimony may not exceed 5 years and requires a specific rehabilitative plan. Durational alimony may not be awarded after a marriage lasting less than 3 years. Durational alimony may not exceed 50% of a short-term marriage, 60% of a moderate-term marriage, or 75% of a long-term marriage, except under exceptional circumstances proven by clear and convincing evidence. Washington: Washington has no fixed statutory duration formula. Short marriages often result in no maintenance or short transitional support. Medium-length marriages may support temporary or rehabilitative maintenance while a spouse becomes self-supporting. Long marriages may support longer maintenance, and in some cases maintenance intended to place the parties in roughly comparable post-divorce economic positions, but no duration is automatic. Duration depends on need, ability to pay, marriage length, standard of living, financial resources, education or training needs, age, health, and overall equity.
Florida: Most alimony awards may be modified upon a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances. The party requesting modification must demonstrate that the statutory standard has been satisfied. Washington: Maintenance may be modified under RCW 26.09.170 upon a substantial change in circumstances unless the decree or agreement limits modification. Courts review changes affecting need, resources, employment, health, or ability to pay.
Florida awards alimony based on the receiving spouse's need and the paying spouse's ability to pay. Following major statutory reforms, Florida eliminated permanent alimony and now relies primarily on bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, and durational forms of support. Courts must evaluate statutory factors before determining amount and duration.
Eligibility: A spouse seeking alimony must demonstrate a genuine financial need, while the other spouse must have the ability to contribute support. Courts examine income, assets, liabilities, earning capacity, and the marital standard of living. Qualification depends on the total circumstances rather than marriage length alone.
Washington refers to alimony as maintenance and gives courts broad discretion to set support in an amount and for a period the court finds just. RCW 26.09.090 directs courts to decide maintenance without regard to misconduct and after considering financial resources, education or training needs, marital standard of living, marriage duration, age and health, and the payer's ability to meet obligations. Washington is a community-property state, so property division under RCW 26.09.080 often affects the maintenance analysis.
Eligibility: A spouse or domestic partner may qualify if maintenance is just after considering the statutory factors and the financial realities of the case. Courts review the requesting party's resources, ability to meet needs independently, education or training timeline, and the other party's ability to pay while meeting personal obligations. Need is important, but Washington courts apply an equitable statutory-factor analysis rather than a strict threshold test.
Alimony rules vary by state. Comparing two states helps readers understand differences in formulas, duration ranges, eligibility rules, modification standards, and judicial discretion before deeper research.
No. SettleCompass comparison pages are educational planning resources only and do not replace advice from a licensed family law attorney.
Yes. State formulas, income caps, duration rules, statutory factors, and judge discretion can produce different outcomes from the same basic facts.
Use state-specific calculator pages to model the same income and marriage-length assumptions across both states.
