Spousal Support Calculator Ontario: No Children

Quick Answer

How is spousal support calculated in Ontario without children? Once entitlement is established, courts and lawyers use the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG). Under the without child support formula, support ranges from 1.5% to 2% of the difference between the spouses’ gross incomes for each year of cohabitation, up to a range of 37.5% to 50% for relationships of 25 years or more (with the top of the range capped at equalizing net incomes). Duration is 0.5 to 1 year of support for each year together, and becomes indefinite after 20 years or when the rule of 65 applies. This page estimates that range. It does not cover the with child support formula, which needs tax software.

Ontario Spousal Support Estimate (SSAG Without Child Support Formula)

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Enter your figures and select Calculate.

How the calculator works

Gross income difference (GID) = payor gross income − recipient gross income.
Low end = GID × 1.5% × years together, never more than 37.5% of GID.
High end = GID × 2% × years together, never more than 50% of GID, and here limited to 48% of GID as a rough stand-in for the net income cap.
Duration = 0.5 to 1 year per year together; indefinite if together 20 years or more, or if together at least 5 years and years together + recipient’s age at separation ≥ 65.

Years and months are combined, so 10 years and 6 months counts as 10.5 years.
Net income cap. For long relationships the SSAG cap the top of the range at the amount that would equalize the spouses’ net incomes (SSAG 7.4.1). Software computes this precisely. The SSAG Revised User’s Guide says it can be estimated by hand at 48% of the gross income difference, and that is what this calculator does whenever the formula would go above 48%.
Floor and ceiling. The formulas generally do not produce support when the payor earns less than $20,000, may need to go below the range between $20,000 and $30,000, and are not applied automatically to income above $350,000 (SSAG chapter 11). The calculator shows these warnings.

Worked example

A couple lived together for 10 years and have no children. At separation the higher earner makes $100,000 and the lower earner, aged 40, makes $40,000. The gross income difference is $60,000.

Low end: 1.5% × 10 = 15% of $60,000 = $9,000 a year, or $750 a month.
High end: 2% × 10 = 20% of $60,000 = $12,000 a year, or $1,000 a month.
Duration: 0.5 to 1 year per year together = 5 to 10 years. The rule of 65 does not apply (10 + 40 = 50).

After a 30-year relationship with the same incomes, the range would be 37.5% to 48% of the difference, about $1,875 to $2,400 a month, with duration indefinite (not specified).

What this estimate does not cover

Entitlement. The SSAG only apply once a spouse is found to be entitled to support on a compensatory, contractual or needs basis. The formula does not answer that question.
Dependent children. When child support is being paid, the with child support formula applies. It works from each spouse’s individual net disposable income after taxes, benefits and child support, which requires specialized software. This calculator does not attempt it.
Exceptions and restructuring. The SSAG list exceptions (such as illness, disability, compelling financial circumstances in the interim period, and debt payment) and allow amount and duration to be traded off. A lawyer applies these to your facts.
Income determination. The formula uses the same income rules as child support, including imputed income. The numbers you enter drive the result.

Spousal support for unmarried partners

Common-law partners can claim spousal support under Ontario’s Family Law Act if they meet the definition of spouse in section 29: they cohabited continuously for at least three years, or lived together in a relationship of some permanence and have a child together. The SSAG are used in the same way once entitlement is established. Learn more about spousal support in Ontario and common-law separation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much spousal support will I pay in Ontario without children?

Under the SSAG without child support formula, the range is 1.5% to 2% of the gross income difference for each year of cohabitation, up to 37.5% to 50% after 25 years, with the top capped at net income equalization. For a 10-year relationship with a $60,000 income difference, that is about $750 to $1,000 a month.

How long does spousal support last in Ontario?

Under the without child support formula, duration is 0.5 to 1 year for each year of cohabitation. Support is indefinite (duration not specified) if the relationship lasted 20 years or more, or if it lasted at least 5 years and the years together plus the recipient’s age at separation total 65 or more.

What is the rule of 65 for spousal support?

The rule of 65 in the SSAG makes support indefinite when the relationship lasted at least five years and the recipient’s age at separation plus the years of cohabitation add up to 65 or more. For example, an 8-year relationship with a recipient aged 57 at separation meets the rule.

Are the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines law in Ontario?

No. The SSAG are advisory guidelines published for the federal Department of Justice, not legislation. Ontario courts routinely use them to set the amount and duration of support once entitlement is established, and departures must be explained.

Why does this calculator not work when we have children?

With dependent children, the SSAG use the with child support formula, which is based on each spouse’s net disposable income after taxes, government benefits and child support. That requires tax and benefit software, so a simple online formula would be misleading.

Sources

Related calculators

Legal review: Reviewed by Deepa Tailor, Founder & Managing Director · September 2026. Calculator version: 2026-09-26. Prepared by Tailor Law Professional Corporation from the official sources listed above.

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This calculator provides general information about Ontario family law and an estimate based only on the figures you enter. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Results can differ from what a court orders or what parties agree. Speak with a lawyer before relying on any figure.

Spousal Support Calculator for Ontario (No Dependent Children)