Reviewed August 2026
Spousal Support in District of Columbia
The District of Columbia calls spousal support alimony. The Superior Court's Family Court decides it in a divorce or legal separation case. D.C. Code § 16-913 controls. DC has no statutory formula for alimony. Instead, the court weighs a list of factors to decide whether an award is warranted. If it is, the court then sets the amount and how long it lasts. DC courts have discretion to award alimony for a limited period. This can help a spouse become self-supporting. Courts can also order alimony with no fixed end date in longer marriages. This is more common when there's a big gap in income or health between spouses. Not every divorce case must include an alimony award. Either spouse can request it as part of the case. The District relies on factors, not a formula. Outcomes vary based on the financial and personal circumstances presented to the court. The same income figures can lead to different results depending on the other facts of the marriage.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how spousal support works under District of Columbia law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file District of Columbia paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Factors under D.C. Code § 16-913
D.C. Code § 16-913 directs the court to weigh several factors. These include the length of the marriage and the age, health, and station in life of each spouse. The court also looks at each spouse's income and property, plus their vocational skills and employability. It weighs the circumstances that led to the breakdown of the marriage. It considers whether the spouse seeking alimony can become wholly or partly self-supporting. The court doesn't have to award alimony to every spouse who requests it. The statute gives judges discretion based on the whole picture these factors create.
How amount and duration are decided
DC law has no set formula. Alimony isn't tied to a percentage of income or a fixed number of years per year of marriage. A judge decides the amount and length using the § 16-913 factors. Judges often favor a defined term for shorter marriages. That's common when the recipient has a clear path to becoming self-supporting. Longer marriages, or serious health or age barriers to employment, can support longer or indefinite awards.
Modification of an existing order
An alimony order in the District can be modified if either spouse shows a substantial change in circumstances. This includes a major change in income, employment, or health after the order was entered. A modification request goes to the Family Court division that handled the original case.
Termination on remarriage
DC courts generally treat the recipient spouse's remarriage as ending the alimony obligation. The financial need behind the award usually changes once the recipient remarries. A paying spouse should still tell the court about the remarriage. Get a formal termination order rather than assuming the obligation ends on its own.
Sources: D.C. Code § 16-913 (alimony), DC Courts, IRS Tax Topic 452, Alimony and Separate Maintenance
Not independently confirmed
- Whether DC has a codified cohabitation-modification provision separate from the general change-of-circumstances standard was not independently confirmed; check the current text of D.C. Code Title 16 or the Family Court self-help resources.
Spousal Support in District of Columbia: frequently asked questions
What is spousal support called in DC?+
The District of Columbia uses the term alimony. D.C. Code § 16-913 governs it, and the Family Court division of the Superior Court decides it as part of a divorce or legal separation case.
Does DC have a formula for calculating alimony?+
No. DC has no statutory formula. The court weighs the factors listed in D.C. Code § 16-913, such as the length of the marriage, each spouse's income and health, and the requesting spouse's ability to become self-supporting, to decide whether to award alimony and how much.
How long does alimony last in DC?+
DC law sets no fixed duration. Courts can order alimony for a defined period, often to let the recipient become self-supporting. They can also order it with no fixed end date in longer marriages or cases involving serious health or age-related barriers to employment.
Can alimony be changed after a DC divorce is final?+
Yes. Either spouse can ask the Family Court to modify an alimony order by showing a substantial change in circumstances, such as a major change in income, employment, or health since the original order was entered.
Does remarriage end alimony in DC?+
Generally, yes. DC courts typically treat the recipient's remarriage as ending the alimony obligation. Still, the paying spouse should get a formal court order terminating the payments rather than stopping on their own.
Is alimony taxable in DC?+
For divorces finalized after December 31, 2018, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changed the rules. The paying spouse can no longer deduct alimony, and the recipient doesn't treat it as taxable income. Agreements executed before 2019 generally keep the older tax treatment unless later modified.
This page is general information about spousal support in District of Columbia, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with District of Columbia's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in District of Columbia. Virdix does not prepare or file District of Columbia divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in District of Columbia.
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