Formula
What this alimony calculator does
Estimates monthly alimony (nafaqa) in Saudi Arabia for spouse plus children. Inputs: payer's monthly income, spouse status (current/divorced with or without kids), number of children in three age bands (under 7, 7-15, 16+), and primary custody (mother, shared, father). Returns total monthly alimony and the breakdown between spouse portion and children portion. The math uses typical Saudi family court ranges as heuristics; real cases depend on judge's discretion and case specifics.
Saudi alimony law context
Alimony in Saudi Arabia is governed by Shariah-based family law administered by the Ministry of Justice family courts. Nafaqa consists of two parts: spouse maintenance (during marriage, during iddah after divorce, and for divorced wife with custody of children) and child maintenance (until financial independence). The 2021 family court guidelines suggested percentage ranges for typical cases but judges retain full discretion. Modern rulings increasingly factor: cost of education (private school, university), medical insurance, household expenses including domestic worker, and lifestyle level maintained during marriage. Specific cases involving high-income payers, special-needs children, or expat circumstances follow different reasoning.
Factors affecting child portion
Age: younger children typically need less (food, clothing) but older children need more (education, allowance, activities). The bands here approximate: under 7 = 8% per child of payer income, 7 to 15 = 10%, 16+ = 12% (university age). Number of children: courts may apply a small discount per additional child (economy of scale in housing/food). Custody: 100% mother custody is the default; shared custody reduces the paying parent's portion by ~25% (since they cover direct costs during their custody time); father custody reduces by ~40% (mother pays support, opposite case). Special needs: medical conditions, learning disabilities, or special education raise the per-child amount significantly.
Modifying alimony after the initial ruling
Alimony amounts can be modified by court order if circumstances change materially: payer's income changes (job loss, promotion), payer's other financial obligations change (new spouse, more children), child reaches age band threshold (per court's original ruling), child's needs change (illness, university start), or recipient's situation changes (remarriage ends spousal alimony, employment may reduce it). Modification requires filing in family court with documentation. Courts generally don't modify retroactively - changes apply forward from the new ruling date. Failure to pay results in enforcement through the Ministry of Justice's enforcement court (محكمة التنفيذ) with travel bans and asset seizure as standard remedies.
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