--- title: "2026 Permanent Spousal Support" description: "Contents Marital Standard of Living How Much Support Will Get? Using Calculator for Calculating Permanent Support Permanent Spousal Support Dina Haddad Founder & Attorney Mediator Facebook..." url: https://thecompletedivorce.com/permanent-spousal-support-ca-divorce/ date: 2023-03-15 modified: 2026-06-03 author: "Dina Haddad" image: https://thecompletedivorce.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Permanent-Spousal-Support.webp categories: ["Spousal support"] type: post lang: en --- # 2026 Permanent Spousal Support Contents - [ Marital Standard of Living ](#Marital%20Standard%20of%20Living) - [ How Much Support Will Get? ](#How%20much%20Support%20will%20Get) - [ Using Calculator for Calculating Permanent Support ](#Using%20Calculator%20for%20Calculating%20Permanent%20Support) Online Divorce Divorce smartly without a lawyer. Save yourself $10,000+. [ Start My Divorce ](https://buy.stripe.com/bJe8wO4Inbryg8y2Ar3ZK01) - 100% Legit Divorce Program # Permanent Spousal Support Dina Haddad Founder & Attorney Mediator [ Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thecompletedivorce/) [ Linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinahaddad/) [ X-twitter ](https://twitter.com/MediatorDina) [ Youtube ](https://www.youtube.com/@divorcewithdina) [ Tiktok ](https://www.tiktok.com/@divorcewithdina) I’m Dina Haddad, a family law attorney-mediator in California. I’m so tired of couples not having a process that’s easy to complete their divorce. They are getting lost, wasting time and money, and beyond frustrated with their results.That’s why I created [The Complete Divorce](https://thecompletedivorce.com/). I took my successful mediation practice and condensed it into an affordable and winning program. ![](https://thecompletedivorce.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Dina-Haddad-1.webp) [ View Profile ](https://thecompletedivorce.com/about-us/) Permanent spousal support starts when you finish your divorce. Permanent support doesn’t mean support will be paid forever, but it’s the spousal support order in your divorce agreement. The purpose of permanent support is different from temporary support. Permanent support is paid so the lower earner can maintain the standard of living the spouse had during marriage, or as close to it as possible. The marital standard of living, referred to as the MSOL, is the lifestyle a couple enjoyed during the marriage. Modernizing California Divorce Complete your divorce without a lawyer. Move forward with peace of mind and avoid court rejections through our fully-assisted DIY divorce program. This program is founded and led by California divorce expert, Dina. - Court-approved forms - Divorce Portal - Expert Webinars - 24/7/365 Support - The MSA - Parenting Plan $49.99/mo No hidden fee. Cancel anytime. [ Start Divorce ](https://buy.stripe.com/bJe8wO4Inbryg8y2Ar3ZK01) ![](https://thecompletedivorce.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-icon.png)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2000+ California couples divorced. ## The Marital Standard of Living MSOL is more than just how much the couple spent their money on basic needs, like gas, groceries, housing, and clothing. It also includes how much was spent on eating out, savings, and travel. After divorce, both spouses have a right to continue enjoying that lifestyle. But it’s nearly impossible for both spouses to continue living at that standard because many expenses, like rent, insurance, internet, and utilities, double. As a result, permanent spousal support is typically less than the MSOL, but still more support than what would cover the supported spouse’s basic needs. ## How much Support? Since permanent support is about your standard of living, the judge is not allowed to use support software as with temporary spousal support to figure out the permanent amount. Instead, the judge must carefully consider Family Code Section 4320. This code section lists all the circumstances that are important to figuring out permanent support including how much the parties earn; their standard of living; their age; their health; and whether they could both work. Although this information is helpful, because there’s no formula, you can arrive at a different support amount in the same case. This makes permanent far more subjective than temporary support. ## Using Calculator with Permanent Support Even though there’s no formula for permanent support, and the judge cannot use a support calculator, you can simplify the process for yourself and use the support calculator for guidance. It’s very common for divorce professionals to use temporary spousal support calculators as a starting point. The calculators provide tax information, net income, and other useful information. Once you have the temporary number, then analyze the factors in Section 4320 carefully to negotiate whether the temporary number should change. Except in unusual circumstances, permanent support is similar to the temporary support number. There is some case law that suggests it should be less, but that is often dependent on the 4320 factors and how much time has passed from the date of separation. At The Complete Divorce, we provide you with what you need to successfully do your California divorce on your own. We provide all the required family law court forms in our automated forms program, all the video tutorials, and an automated customizable Marital Settlement Agreement (Divorce Agreement). If you need more help, you can get our package which includes time with a divorce mediator. Before you go, consider if we can help you. We have helped thousands of couples in California. Our guided DIY divorce is successful and super affordable! Our services are all 5-star! California premier divorce program. Making California divorce simple and lawyer-free. - Filing & Review Support - 1-on-1 Divorce Meeting - Child support calculations - MSA Filing Support ![](https://thecompletedivorce.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/google-icon.png)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2000+ divorced without a lawyer.  [ Start Divorce ](https://buy.stripe.com/bJe8wO4Inbryg8y2Ar3ZK01) You may also be interested in [![Divorce mediation in California](https://thecompletedivorce.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/What-is-Divorce-Mediation.jpg)](https://thecompletedivorce.com/divorce-mediation-in-a-california/) [ What is Divorce Mediation in a California? ](https://thecompletedivorce.com/divorce-mediation-in-a-california/) In mediation, you and your spouse work with a mediator [ Read more » ](https://thecompletedivorce.com/divorce-mediation-in-a-california/) Dina Haddad March 16, 2023 [![Amicable Divorce guide 2026](https://thecompletedivorce.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Amicable-Divorce.webp)](https://thecompletedivorce.com/amicable-divorce-california/) [ What Is an Amicable Divorce in California? 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