NEVADA Part 61

Nevada's appellate courts have interpreted their alimony laws in many different ways, resulting in confusion for divorce courts who are trying to decide whether they should award alimony, or what the amount should be. In response, the Family Law Section of the Nevada Bar Association developed a weighted formula, called "the Tonopah Formula," in 1997. The Tonopah Formula is a kind of mathematical model, or schedule, based on real-life data from divorce cases where judges awarded alimony. It utilizes the factors that divorce judges most commonly use to justify their decisions, and establishes financial parameters based on the income, assets, and debts in those cases.