On September 1, 2025, Arizona’s revised Spousal Maintenance Guidelines went into effect. If you’re divorcing in Maricopa County, these changes will directly impact how judges and mediators calculate support.
In general, these changes benefit the paying party (the higher earner) as the awards are significantly lower.
Key Changes in the 2025 Guidelines
1. Mortgage principal is no longer included
Under the 2023 rules, the family’s monthly mortgage principal was added into the calculator. That step has been eliminated, which simplifies disclosure and usually results in lower support ranges.
2. High-income adjustment favors the payor
2023: Adjustment started at $100,000 household income, adding 1% for every $2,500 above that, capped at +80%.
2025: Adjustment doesn’t start until $175,000, adds more slowly, and caps at +70%.
Translation: in higher-income cases, the new rules usually generate smaller spousal maintenance numbers.
3. Longer marriages get longer ranges
For marriages over 16 years, support can now run up to 12 years (or half the length of the marriage), instead of topping out around 8 years under the old formula.
Golden Girls Case Study: 2023 vs. 2025
To illustrate, we ran both calculators on four different household income levels, using the Golden Girls as stand-ins. All are Maricopa County cases with a 2015 marriage and 2025 filing:
| Couple (Income) | 2023 Range | 2025 Range | % Lower (Midpoint) |
| Dorothy & Stan ($100k) | $405–$619 | $305–$519 | 19.5% lower |
| Rose & Miles ($200k) | $1,496–$2,062 | $996–$1,466 | 30.8% lower |
| Blanche & George ($300k) | $2,791–$3,626 | $2,053–$2,791 | 24.5% lower |
| Sophia & Guido ($400k) | $3,982–$4,930 | $3,060–$3,958 | 21.3% lower |
Visual Comparison
Here’s how those reductions look side by side:
Why This Matters in Maricopa County
– Consistency: Every judge on the Maricopa County bench will be applying the new 2025 formula.
– Negotiation leverage: Mediators and attorneys will be looking at the new calculator outputs, not the 2023 model.
– High-income households: North Scottsdale and Paradise Valley cases will feel the biggest shift—payors are favored under the 2025 adjustment.
Bottom Line
Spousal maintenance in Arizona just got simpler and in many high-income Maricopa County cases, less expensive. If you’re considering divorce—or already in litigation—make sure you or your lawyer are running numbers through the 2025 calculator, not the outdated 2023 model.
This article was prepared by Nicholas Walters, an Arizona family law attorney who has practiced in Maricopa County for over 15 years. Dodge & Vega helps clients navigate divorce, custody, and support issues with practical solutions. Please reach out to Dodge & Vega for a consult.
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