The question of whether you will need to pay alimony in addition to child support depends on your circumstances as presented to the court. While child and spousal support are separate orders, they impact each other.Child support is calculated using the "Guideline" calculator, which takes into account each parent's income, timeshare with the child, health insurance costs. Alimony and child support are both financial awards a judge can order one spouse to pay in a California divorce case. If your ex is also paying you child support, you can ask your local child support agency for help collecting the spousal support. All alimony in California is based on one spouse's need for support and the other spouse's ability to pay. Agreements must be fair and reasonable. After a California court orders child support or alimony, it can be an uphill process to challenge or modify those orders. In California, alimony is not mandatory. The Court will normally use a calculation when determining alimony in the early stage of divorce.