Alimony · Arkansas · Factors only
Alimony in Arkansas
Arkansas courts have discretion to award alimony, with the recipient’s need and the other spouse’s ability to pay as the main considerations; case law lists secondary factors and says the amount should not be reduced to a mathematical formula. The statute (Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-312) also allows rehabilitative alimony and lists events that automatically end alimony.[1]
Key facts: alimony in Arkansas
| How the law sets it | Factors only[1] |
|---|---|
| Key rule | No formula, cap or time limit[1] |
| Law last checked | October 26, 2026 |
How it's decided
No formula, cap or time limit[1]
Arkansas law sets no formula, cap or time limit for alimony, so there's nothing to calculate: the court weighs the factors below.
From the official text
What Arkansas law says about alimony
Plain-English summaries of Arkansas’s statute and court rules as of the date shown on each, with the quoted text. Not legal advice: laws change and courts apply them case by case.
The statute
Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022), § VII Alimony
The main alimony statute.[1]
Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022), § VII Alimony · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“When a decree is entered, the court shall make an order concerning the care of the children, if there are any, and an order concerning alimony, if applicable, as are reasonable from the circumstances of the parties and the nature of the case.”
Formula
No mathematical formula (case law)
The judiciary’s benchbook, citing the Arkansas Supreme Court, says the amount should not be reduced to a formula because flexibility matters more than certainty.[1]
Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022), § VII Alimony · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“The amount of alimony should not be reduced to a mathematical formula because the need for flexibility outweighs the need for relative certainty.”
When it ends
Ends at remarriage, full-time cohabitation, death, or other listed events
Unless ordered or agreed otherwise, alimony automatically ends at the recipient’s remarriage, certain new support relationships, full-time intimate cohabitation, or the death of either party.[1]
Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022), § VII Alimony · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“Unless otherwise ordered by the court or agreed to by the parties, the liability for alimony shall automatically cease upon the earlier of:”
Divorce in Arkansas: waiting period, residency and property rules →
Questions about alimony in Arkansas
Is there an alimony calculator for Arkansas?
No. Arkansas law doesn't set alimony by formula: arkansas courts have discretion to award alimony, with the recipient’s need and the other spouse’s ability to pay as the main considerations; case law lists secondary factors and says the amount should not be reduced to a mathematical formula. The statute (Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-312) also allows rehabilitative alimony and lists events that automatically end alimony. — Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022), § VII Alimony[1]
When does alimony end in Arkansas?
Unless ordered or agreed otherwise, alimony automatically ends at the recipient’s remarriage, certain new support relationships, full-time intimate cohabitation, or the death of either party. — Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022), § VII Alimony[1]
States with an alimony formula
Not legal advice. MediationList is a directory of court-listed mediators, not a law firm, and doesn’t endorse any mediator. Summaries follow the official text as of the date checked; courts apply it case by case.
Sources
Arkansas’s statute and court rules, read on the official site, with the date we checked each.