Massachusetts has four types of alimony: general term, rehabilitative, reimbursement and transitional. General term alimony has hard time limits for marriages of 20 years or less, from half the months of the marriage up to 80%, and the amount should generally be no more than the recipient's need or between 30 and 35% of the difference in gross incomes.
Those numbers come from chapter 208 of the Massachusetts General Laws, sections 48 to 55, which define the types and set the limits. They were checked on the Massachusetts Legislature's site in October 2026.
This is a plain-English summary of what the statute says, checked in October 2026. It isn't legal advice, and a family lawyer or your county court's self-help center can tell you how it applies to your case.
The four types of alimony
Section 48 holds the definitions used throughout sections 49 to 55. Sections 49 to 52 each deal with one type: general term alimony in Section 49, rehabilitative in Section 50, reimbursement in Section 51 and transitional in Section 52. General term is the main type, and it's the one with the detailed time limits.
How long general term alimony lasts
| Length of marriage | Longest general term alimony |
|---|---|
| 5 years or less | Half the number of months of the marriage |
| More than 5, up to 10 years | 60% of the number of months |
| More than 10, up to 15 years | 70% of the number of months |
| More than 15, up to 20 years | 80% of the number of months |
| More than 20 years | The court may order alimony for an indefinite length of time |
A court can go beyond those limits only on a written finding that deviation is required in the interests of justice. Note that the limits are counted in months, so a marriage of 9 years and 6 months is measured as 114 months, not rounded to 10 years, and the 60% limit then applies to those 114 months.
How much: the 30 to 35% guideline
Section 53(b) says that, except for reimbursement alimony or circumstances warranting deviation, the amount should generally not exceed the recipient's need or between 30 and 35% of the difference between the parties' gross incomes at the time of the order. Income is defined using the Massachusetts child support guidelines, with certain exclusions. Reimbursement alimony sits outside that guideline altogether, because Section 53(b) carves it out.
Section 53(c) leaves some income out of the calculation, including capital gains, dividend and interest income from assets that were divided in the divorce. That stops the same asset being split once as property and again as alimony income.
What the court weighs
- The length of the marriage and the age and health of the parties.
- Income, employment and employability of both parties, including employability through reasonable diligence and extra training.
- Economic and non-economic contributions of both parties to the marriage.
- The marital lifestyle and each party's ability to maintain it.
- Lost economic opportunity as a result of the marriage.
- Any other factor the court considers relevant and material.
Retirement ends general term alimony
Once issued, general term alimony orders terminate when the payer reaches full retirement age, and the payer's ability to keep working past that age isn't a reason to extend alimony. When the court enters the initial judgment, it can set a different end date for good cause, but it has to make written findings to do so. A recipient can also ask to extend an existing order for good cause, which needs written findings of a material change of circumstance after the judgment.
If you're the payer, that makes full retirement age the planning date. Retirement income can also change your withholding; this guide to Form W-4P for pension withholding covers the tax side.
Cohabitation and remarriage
General term alimony shall be suspended, reduced or terminated when the payer shows the recipient has maintained a common household with another person for a continuous period of at least 3 months. People are treated as keeping a common household when they share a primary residence, with or without others, and the court can weigh things like statements the couple has made about the relationship.
Remarriage is treated as final, and the rules for other types of alimony, such as rehabilitative and transitional, are set out in their own sections. The statute says nothing in the section permits alimony to be reinstated after the recipient's remarriage, except by the parties' express written agreement.
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Taxes
For federal tax, the IRS says alimony under a divorce or separation agreement executed after 2018 isn't deductible by the payer or income for the recipient. If you're splitting the household, these budgeting apps help you plan around a fixed end date.
Verdict
Massachusetts gives you two numbers to work with before you ever see a judge: the time limit from your marriage length in months, and the 30 to 35% guideline on the income gap. Use them to test any settlement offer. And if you're paying, full retirement age is your likely end point, unless the judgment says otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
How long does alimony last in Massachusetts?
For general term alimony, up to half the months of the marriage for 5 years or less, 60% for up to 10 years, 70% for up to 15 years and 80% for up to 20 years. After 20 years, the court may order it indefinitely.
How is alimony calculated in Massachusetts?
Section 53(b) says the amount should generally not exceed the recipient's need or between 30 and 35% of the difference between the parties' gross incomes.
Does alimony stop at retirement in Massachusetts?
General term alimony terminates when the payer reaches full retirement age, unless the court set a different date for good cause in the initial judgment.
Does cohabitation end alimony in Massachusetts?
General term alimony shall be suspended, reduced or terminated if the recipient has kept a common household with another person for a continuous period of at least 3 months.
Can alimony restart after remarriage in Massachusetts?
No, unless the parties expressly agreed in writing that it would.
What are the four types of alimony in Massachusetts?
General term, rehabilitative, reimbursement and transitional alimony, covered in sections 49 to 52 of chapter 208. General term alimony is the type with the detailed time limits.
