Reviewed for current 2026 law
Tennessee Alimony Calculator and Factors
Compare Tennessee’s four statutory forms before discussing amount or duration.
Reviewed by SupportDecode Editorial Team Page content reviewed Sources Methodology Update log
alimony framework
TN sets alimony by judicial discretion; there is no statutory formula. Courts weigh the enumerated factors below.
Factors the court weighs
- Relative earning capacity, obligations, needs, and resources
- Education and training needs and feasibility
- Duration of marriage
- Age and mental condition
- Physical condition and disability
- Custody-related employment constraints
- Separate assets
- Marital-property division
- Marital standard of living
- Contributions to the marriage and homemaking
- Relative fault where appropriate
- Tax consequences and other equitable factors
Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-121(i)
Duration limits
- Rehabilitative alimony: Preferred where rehabilitation is feasible; tied to gaining earning capacity.
- Alimony in futuro: Long-term support where rehabilitation is not feasible or is only partial.
- Transitional alimony: Finite support for adjustment to the economic consequences of divorce when rehabilitation is unnecessary.
- Alimony in solido: A fixed total award, often used for property-related support or attorney fees.
Assumptions
- This tool does not estimate a dollar amount for discretionary states: any number would be invented.
- The statute supplies forms and factors but no mandatory amount formula.
Estimate only. The court or state agency calculation controls.
Tennessee alimony under Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-121.
Rehabilitation is preferred when feasible
Section 36-5-121 distinguishes four forms with different purposes and modification rules.
The court weighs statutory factors rather than applying a statewide percentage.
Separate type, amount, and duration
The correct form depends on need, ability to pay, and whether earning capacity can be improved.
What this estimate includes
- Four-form comparison
- Statutory factor checklist
What it leaves out
- Predicted award
- Case-law outcome
- Tax advice
Tennessee alimony framework FAQs
Is there a fixed percentage?
No.
What is rehabilitative alimony?
Support tied to improving earning capacity.
What is alimony in futuro?
Long-term support where rehabilitation is not feasible or only partial.
What is transitional alimony?
Finite adjustment support when rehabilitation is unnecessary.
What is alimony in solido?
A fixed total award.
Can fault matter?
Yes, where the statutory factors make it appropriate.
Official sources
Official sources last verified: .
- Current appellate application of Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-121
Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts Last checked
Changelog: page reviewed . Material changes appear in the update log.