How Long Does Spousal Support Last?

 Posted on October 22, 2025 in Finances and Divorce

For many couples, spousal support – also called alimony or maintenance – is a major concern in a divorce. If you have any concerns about the terms of alimony in your divorce, a Kane County, IL spousal support attorney can represent you and make your voice heard in court.

At Weiler & Associates, Inc., we know the financial pressures that can result from a divorce. As a Certified Financial Litigator, Attorney Tim Weiler can provide you with informed counsel while arguing for your rights.

How Long Do Different Types of Alimony Awards Last?

Fixed-Term Maintenance

As the name implies, this kind of spousal support has a definite endpoint, which may be reassuring for some people who have been ordered to pay alimony. These types of alimony awards may be suited to spouses who are easily able to seek employment but may need a brief cushion of financial support to avoid undue hardship.

The duration of fixed-term maintenance will often depend on how long the marriage lasted (750 ILCS 5/504). For marriages lasting five years or less, alimony will last for 20 percent of that time. That percentage increases with the length of the marriage, up to a possible maximum of 80 percent for marriages that lasted between 19 and 20 years.

Reviewable Maintenance

Reviewable maintenance operates on a similar time table as fixed-term maintenance, with the key difference being that reviewable maintenance could be renewed at its end date, at the court’s discretion. In this kind of maintenance, there is an expectation that the spouse receiving support will make an effort to become self-sufficient through vocational training or education.

At a court hearing for a reviewable maintenance reward, the court will look at each party’s employment status to see if support is still warranted. The judge can also consider the recipient spouse’s extenuating circumstances, like caring for a child, when deciding whether or not to extend a maintenance award.

Indefinite Maintenance

In rare cases, the court may award alimony to a spouse without a set end date. Indefinite, or permanent, maintenance may be awarded in long marriages lasting at least 20 years, where one party cannot become financially independent due to age, disability, or other factors.

There are situations where an indefinite order of alimony can be terminated. The most straightforward scenario is when either spouse dies. Indefinite maintenance can also be terminated if the recipient spouse remarries or starts living ("cohabitating") with another romantic partner in a similar manner to marriage.

Contact a St. Charles, IL Alimony Lawyer

Alimony can be a sensitive subject in a divorce no matter where you stand on the subject. At Weiler & Associates, Inc., we are here to stand up for spouses on either side of a maintenance dispute. 

Our firm is ready to discuss the details of your spousal support concerns. To schedule an initial consultation with our Kane County, IL divorce attorneys, call our offices at 630-331-9110 today.