South Dakota Alimony Laws and Guidelines: All About Spousal Support in “SD”

The alimony laws governing spousal support in South Dakota is different from what is obtainable in other states. Read further to grasp the peculiarity of the SD alimony law.

Also referred to as “spousal support” or “spousal maintenance” in The Mount Rushmore State, alimony is the series of payments made by one spouse (the payor spouse) to another (the supported or payee spouse) after the divorce.

Before the alimony payments commence, there has to be a written order or agreement which requires the payor to support the payee with a stipulated amount of money.

This agreement eliminates any disputes in the future about why the payment was made or when it’s not made.

All 50 states in America are alimony states, meaning states that have enacted laws permitting a spouse who cannot work full time or with a lower income to request payments from the other spouse to support themselves after a divorce.

Type of Alimony Laws Practiced in SD

types of alimony

Types of alimony in South Dakota

Traditionally, the court will decide whether or not alimony should be awarded, the amount and when it should end. The Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act (UMDA) is used by several states to calculate the amount of alimony to be paid.

South Dakota judges can order any of the below alimony categories or a combination of them:

Temporary Spousal Support in South Dakota

Spouses who require financial assistance during the lengthy divorce procedure are eligible for temporary support.

Permanent Spousal Support in SD

Permanent alimony is becoming less common in divorce proceedings, but it remains an option for spouses who are unable to financially support themselves after the divorce. Even though the court wants both spouses to be self-supporting, a spouse that is unable to work due to old age, mental or physical disability, or a prolonged absence from the labor force may be awarded permanent support.

Rehabilitative Spousal Support in South Dakota

The goal of rehabilitative support is to give the supported spouse the financial (and time) help they need to get the job training or education they need to find work and become financially independent. When one spouse leaves a job to raise a family or support a spouse’s career, rehabilitative support is prevalent.

Restitutional Alimony in SD

South Dakota courts can award restitutional alimony to compensate one spouse for their contribution to the other’s higher training or education during the marriage. If one spouse worked full-time while the other went to veterinary school, restitutional support might be acceptable.

Who Pays Alimony in South Dakota?

In South Dakota alimony statute, the spouse that makes most of the money will share that income with the other spouse. The idea behind who pays for alimony is to considerably level up the living standard of the dependent spouse to what it was while the marriage was on.

Regarding the sex that pays, alimony in The Mount Rushmore State is gender-neutral, meaning either spouse can request support from the other. As long as the alimony can be provided to the requesting spouse, then it will most likely be granted.

So a husband can receive alimony from a wife in South Dakota if the above conditions are met.

How Long Does Spousal Support Last in SD?

How Long To Pay Alimony

The judge will decide how long alimony payment should last in South Dakota

The duration to pay alimony in South Dakota can differ depending on the individual judge and circumstances. However, you should expect to pay spousal support for a duration of 80-70% of the length of the marriage lasted. So assuming you were married for 10 years, the spousal support duration will most likely be between 6 to 7 years.

As provided by the alimony laws of SD, rehabilitative and permanent support stops if either spouse dies or the supported spouse remarries.

How to Collect Spousal Support Arrears in South Dakota

When it comes to collecting spousal support in South Dakota, you have a few choices if your ex-spouse has failed to make alimony payments as ordered by the court. Debts for spousal support are frequently given priority among debtors under US law.

Average Alimony Payment in South Dakota

The average amount payable as spousal support in South Dakota after divorce is determined by various factors. But the major factor you have to understand is “the standard of living of the marriage.”

To determine the final amounts for rehabilitative and permanent support in SD, the courts in SD takes into consideration the income of the spouses, plus other factors like:

  • earning capacity of each spouse.
  • the ability of the paying spouse to pay, considering assets, the standard of living, earning capacity, as well as earned and unearned income.
  • the extent of contribution the supported spouse gave to the other’s educational pursuit or professional license during the marriage
  • how long the marriage lasted
  • the needs of each spouse
  • the assets and debts of each spouse including separate property
  • each party’s tax consequences
  • the ability of the supported spouse to gain employment without interfering with their children’s care
  • each spouse’s health and age
  • each party’s balance of hardships
  • whether there is a documented history of domestic violence against the children or either party
  • will the dependent spouse be self-supporting within a reasonable period
  • any criminal conviction of an abusive spouse
  • any other factors which the court wishes to consider

This is the main measure the court uses to determine the amount to be paid in The Mount Rushmore State. The principle behind the standard of living of the marriage is that after the marriage breakup, both spouses should continue living within the same standard they lived while the marriage lasted.

How Alimony is Calculated in SD

How Alimony is Calculated

How Alimony is Calculated in South Dakota

The amount to be paid as spousal support in South Dakota is calculated after considering the above-stated factors. Whichever option is adopted it is reflected in the Alimony Calculator

But to be explicit about how to calculate spousal support in SD, you may need to consult your spousal support attorney.

>>> South Dakota Spousal Support Calculator

Importance of Using a Skilled South Dakota Spousal Support Attorney

If you’re getting a divorce in South Dakota and need to negotiate or re-negotiate spousal support, you’ve definitely got a lot of questions and want to seek competent legal guidance. Though state Supreme Courts have supported lifetime spousal support,
your circumstances may or may not fulfill the requirements. SD courts may judge your case differently based on the merits of you and your previous spouse. There are so many variables to consider.

If you want to get spousal support for the rest of your life or if you want to fight against it in South Dakota, an expert divorce lawyer can help. Depending on the objective and the desire of the adversary attorney to bargain in good faith, you’ll need attorneys that are both empathetic and strong.

For the convenience of our members, we have an up-to-date directory of SD divorce and spousal support attorneys who can help with a variety of issues. For legal advice and representation on spousal support that is powerful and well-informed.

Click Here to Get our Free Iowa Alimony recommendation.

FAQ About South Dakota Alimony Laws

Here are Frequently Asked Questions about spousal support laws in SD:

Can a Husband get Alimony in SD?

Yes. In South Dakota, alimony payment is gender-neutral, meaning the sex that pays or receives is not the main determinant, but other factors as stated above. For details click here.

Who Qualifies for Alimony in South Dakota?

Just as either spouse can pay or receive, the party that qualifies to receive spousal support in South Dakota is the dependent party while the marriage lasted. This means that in SD, the spouse that had lesser or no income when the marriage was on is also the one qualified to receive alimony.

The court will only grant assistance if the petitioning spouse shows a financial necessity and if the other spouse is able to pay. Click here for details

How Long do you have to be Married to get Alimony in SD?

To understand how long alimony lasts in South Dakota, you have to take into consideration how long the marriage lasted.

However, bear in mind that there is no limit to the duration you can pay or receive alimony for marriages that lasted 10-20 years or more. Any marriage that lasted below 20 years will not pay nor receive alimony that exceeds 50% of the duration of the marriage.

Is Alimony Tax Deductible in South Dakota?

Is Alimony Tax Deductible in

Is Alimony Mandatory in The Mount Rushmore State?

Alimony is mandatory in South Dakota as long as one of the spouses earns or owns assets that can be relied upon to support the other spouse after the marriage breaks down.

Can Alimony be increased in South Dakota?

Alimony amount or duration can be increased or decreased due to changes in the financial circumstances of the parties in different ways, including:

  • an increase or decrease in the income of the alimony recipient
  • if it’s determined that the original alimony awarded is inadequate
  •  loss to the alimony recipient’s financial assets
  • an increase in the justified expenses of the alimony recipient
  • when the financial condition of the receiving spouse fails to improve as originally expected

Can you go to Jail for Not Paying Spousal Support in SD?

Technically, you will not be jailed for not paying alimony in South Dakota. While there are varying consequences for not paying alimony, you can still end up in jail as a result. Here is how.

If it’s a South Dakota court-ordered spousal support that you refuse to pay, it means you are in violation of a court order meaning you can be prosecuted for being in contempt of court if contempt proceedings are brought up against you. This could attract a jail term in SD}.

An income withholding order, which orders a paying spouse’s employer to deduct the support amount from a paycheck and submit it to the court agency in charge of support payments, may be attached to the alimony ruling in some situations. (See 25-4-43 of the South Dakota Codified Laws.)

How to Modify Spousal Support in SD?

How to Avoid spousal support

How to Avoid spousal support in South Dakota

When necessary, South Dakota law allows for a spousal support modification. When it comes to alimony, courts in SD usually try to do their best to create judgments that are fair and effective in the long run. Nevertheless, conditions change over time, and these changes may compel a revision or modification of the initial order.

When filing for a spousal support modification in South Dakota, keep in mind that the courts will only entertain the motion if there has been a significant and long-term change in circumstances. A brief problem is unlikely to be significant enough to warrant a revision in the initial alimony ruling. Likewise, dissatisfaction with the support order is not a valid reason for a revision in SD.

The following are some of the most common reasons for requesting an alimony modification in South Dakota:

  • Retirement
  • Remarriage
  • Relocation
  • Changes in income or employment
  • Birth of a new child
  • Health changes, including disability
  • A new dependent

How to Avoid or End Spousal Support in SD?

In The Mount Rushmore State, the spouse paying the alimony can successfully avoid or stop the alimony payment if he/she is able to prove any or all of the following points:

  • that the dependent spouse is guilty of infidelity
  • the spouse proves that he has no source of income
  • the spouse remarries and has to take care of the new spouse however, he/she will continue paying the child support for children if any
  • if the spouse is disabled and unable to earn a living


Alimony Laws in all 50 States

A Alabama  |  AlaskaArizonaArkansas
C CaliforniaColoradoConnecticut
D-H DelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaii
I IdahoIllinoisIndianaIowa
K-L KansasKentuckyLouisiana
M MaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontana
NebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth Dakota
OhioOklahomaOregon
P-S  PennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth Dakota
T-U  TennesseeTexasUtah
V-W  VermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

Deborah Kelly

Deborah Kelly

As a proud single mom who has seen it all, I encourage others by sharing my experiences & curating content on divorce, adoption, child & spousal support. My passion also includes spending quality time with my kids and giving back to my community.

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