There are no statutory guidelines in Utah for determining the amount of alimony to award. Instead, the amount of alimony is determined by the trial judge on a case by case basis. However, the trial judge must consider the following factors in determining whether to pay alimony and how much to pay: 1. The financial condition and needs of the receiving spouse;
2. The ability of the receiving spouse to provide for him or herself; and
3. The ability of the payor spouse to provide support.
The amount of alimony awarded in a Utah divorce depends, in large part, on the degree of disparity in income between spouses. See When is Alimony Awarded in Utah? If one of the spouses is consistently employed during the marriage, and the other spouse is a homemaker and was not employed during the marriage, then the amount of alimony will be higher than in a case where both parties are employed and have similar income levels.
