A Short Guide to Vermont Alimony Calculators
What is a Vermont Alimony Calculator?
Vermont alimony calculators are meant to assist lawyers and their clients in estimating a potential alimony award. Since they require a mathematical formula to work, they are best used in states with very strict alimony guidelines. However, Vermont does not have such strict statutes, and the broadness of its laws means that Vermont alimony calculators aren’t very effective. However, the good news is that with a little patience it is easy to replicate an alimony calculator for Vermont.
What is a “rough estimate” Vermont alimony calculator?
There are several general Vermont alimony calculators in existence that are not at all based on state law. They should not be considered predictive of an order, but they can help you in getting a very rough estimate of your eventual alimony award. Here is the formula for one such rough estimate Vermont alimony calculator:
1. Calculate the joint cost of the married standard of living. Look at all the costs accrued during the last year of cohabitation, ignoring all time spent living in separation. Costs include things like rent, food, and clothing. Do not include any costs which you can attribute to minor children or other dependents; this should be strictly about the couple, as the others will be accounted for in other maintenance orders.
2. Estimate the individual cost of the married standard of living simply by dividing the joint cost in two. Of course, rent and utility costs mean that this standard of living will be significantly lower than with two individuals, but remember that this is only a rough estimate Vermont alimony calculator.
3. Now subtract, from the individual cost of the married standard of living, the Gross Monthly Income of the lower-earning spouse. The difference represents the amount of money the lower income spouse is short of affording that married standard of living, but it also represents the alimony the spouse will likely request on an annual basis according to this Vermont alimony calculator.
4. To find the monthly alimony award, all you need to do is divide the result of Step #3 by 12.
What other factors should a Vermont alimony calculator consider?
Remember that Vermont law orders judges to consider several factors when crafting their alimony award, so after you get an estimate through the above Vermont alimony calculator, you should think about the resulting figure though the lens of the following factors:
1. The length of the marriage.
2. The financial resources of both parties, particularly the ability of the spouse requesting alimony to live independently.
3. Whether a child support award is already active, giving one party significantly more money and decreasing the income of the other significantly.
4. The ability of both spouses to work considering their age and health.
5. Whether additional training is needed to productively enter the workforce.
6. Inflation.
If you’d like to read more about these factors, they are derived from Vermont Statute § 752. If you’d like to know more, you can read it here.
