Average Alimony Payment in South Carolina (2025)

Divorce is costly, limiting the finances of each spouse in numerous ways, from direct legal and court costs to the impact of the loss of dual income or additional property. Many spouses who are getting a divorce want to know the average alimony payment in South Carolina.

However, because of the state’s laws on support, every single case is unique. Some types of support are lump sum payments meant to reimburse a spouse or provide rehabilitative support. Other types of support are payments made over time until certain circumstances, like remarriage, are met. When the court is responsible for deciding spousal support, it reviews many factors about a couple’s marriage to determine what is fair support.

The divorce rate in South Carolina was 2.4 per 1,000 people in 2022, and the marriage rate was 6.5 per 1,000 people. Not all divorces will result in an award for spousal support.

How Is Alimony Calculated in South Carolina?

There is no formula in South Carolina to determine the support one spouse pays to the other. Instead, spousal maintenance or alimony in the state is determined based on the court’s discretion, if the decision is left up to the court. Spouses could decide on their own alimony depending on the circumstances of their divorce.

The courts review several factors to determine whether support is fair, how much support is fair, and how long that support will be paid for. These factors include:

1. How long the marriage lasted, the ages of each spouse when they were married, and their ages at the time of the divorce or awarding of separate maintenance
2. Each spouse’s physical and emotional condition
3. Each spouse’s educational background and the need for more job training or education that either spouse needs to fulfill their income potential
4. Each spouse’s earning potential and employment history.
5. The existing standard of living the couple enjoyed during their marriage.
6. Each spouse’s earnings and what they are expected to earn in the future
7. Each spouse’s expenses and needs, and what those are reasonably expected to be
8. The marital and separate property each spouse owns, including what was given to each in property division or separate maintenance
9. The existing custody arrangement for children, especially considering how custody may prevent the custodial parent from seeking full employment, or considering if it is appropriate that the custodial parent seek employment away from the home
10. Marital misconduct committed by either spouse, or fault of either party, regardless of whether the fault was the basis for the divorce or separate maintenance, if the misconduct impacted financial circumstances or led to the break-up of the marriage, and not considering fault after divorce or separate maintenance
11. The tax consequences that would affect both spouses in any specific type of spousal support award
12. Whether either spouse owes a support obligation due to a prior marriage or other reason
13. Any other factors that the court decides are relevant.

These factors also decide how long support will continue and what circumstances will result in the termination of support. When a spouse who is financially supported by the other spouse remarries or continually cohabitates with another person, many types of spousal support will terminate. There was an average of 2.45 persons per household in South Carolina from 2019 to 2023.

FAQs

How Is Alimony Calculated in South Carolina?

Alimony in South Carolina is calculated based on several factors, such as:

• The duration of the marriage
• The couple’s standard of living during the marriage
• Each spouse’s earnings, expected earnings, and earning potential
• Each spouse’s employment history
• The property owned by each spouse after the divorce
• Tax consequences of alimony
• Each spouse’s mental and physical well-being

The court awards alimony if it determines a spouse has a financial need for it.

What Is the Average Alimony Payment?

Every alimony award in South Carolina is unique, so there is no set way to determine the alimony payment. There are five different types of alimony or spousal maintenance in the state, and the court can create new methods of payment as needed. Alimony payments are determined based on the discretion of the court and many factors. Discussing your case with an attorney may give you a more accurate estimate of the alimony you may pay or receive.

How Long Do You Receive Alimony in South Carolina?

How long you receive alimony in South Carolina depends on the type of alimony you are awarded and what the court decides based on the factors of your divorce. Certain types of alimony payments are set to terminate on the remarriage or continued cohabitation of the receiving spouse or on the death of either spouse. Other types of alimony have a set sum and are not terminated until that sum is paid off.

What Disqualifies You From Alimony in South Carolina?

You are disqualified from receiving alimony in South Carolina if you committed adultery. The court considers it adultery when it occurs before the earlier of the following:

1. When the property or marital settlement is formally signed
2. When there is a permanent order for separate maintenance or a permanent order approving property or marital settlements

The spouse who commits adultery cannot receive alimony.

Compassionate and Experienced Legal Support in South Carolina

Because every spousal support award is determined by the unique circumstances of each spouse and the facts of their marriage, knowing the average spousal support award will not tell you what fair support for your marriage looks like.

When you work with an experienced and dedicated attorney, they can provide a more accurate estimate of fair support based on your situation. Your attorney can determine if support is likely for your divorce and what you could expect. Whether you would receive or pay spousal support, your attorney can determine what is fair and then advocate for your interests in court. Both spouses have the right to have financial equity after a divorce, so fair support is essential.

At the Law Office of Charles T. Brooks III, our goal is to help individuals through this incredibly difficult time in their lives. Whether you are getting a divorce or are trying to secure separate maintenance without a divorce, our firm can help you navigate this case. We have supported families and individuals in South Carolina for almost 30 years. Contact our team today and schedule a consultation to learn how we can help you.