{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-913","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 16-913","heading":"Alimony.","body":"(a)\nWhen a divorce or legal separation is granted, or when a termination of a domestic partnership becomes effective under § 32-702(d) or § 16-904(e) and one partner has filed a petition for relief available under this section, the Court may require either party to pay alimony to the other party if it seems just and proper.\n\n(b)\nThe award of alimony may be indefinite or term-limited and structured as appropriate to the facts. The Court shall determine the amount and the time period for the award of alimony.\n\n(c)\nAn award of alimony may be retroactive to the date of the filing of the pleading that requests alimony.\n\n(d)\nIn making an award of alimony, the Court shall consider all the relevant factors necessary for a fair and equitable award, including, but not limited to, the:\n(1)\nability of the party seeking alimony to be wholly or partly self-supporting;\n(2)\ntime necessary for the party seeking alimony to gain sufficient education or training to enable that party to secure suitable employment;\n(3)\nstandard of living that the parties established during their marriage or domestic partnership, but giving consideration to the fact that there will be 2 households to maintain;\n(4)\nduration of the marriage or domestic partnership;\n(5)\ncircumstances which contributed to the estrangement of the parties, including the history of physical, emotional or financial abuse by one party against the other;\n(6)\nage of each party;\n(7)\nphysical and mental condition of each party;\n(8)\nability of the party from whom alimony is sought to meet his or her needs while meeting the needs of the other party; and\n(9)\nfinancial needs and financial resources of each party, including:\n(A)\nincome;\n(B)\nincome from assets, both those that are the property of the marriage or domestic partnership and those that are not;\n(C)\npotential income which may be imputed to non-income producing assets of a party;\n(D)\nany previous award of child support in this case;\n(E)\nthe financial obligations of each party;\n(F)\nthe right of a party to receive retirement benefits; and\n(G)\nthe taxability or non-taxability of income.","path":["Title 16. Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]","Chapter 9. Divorce, Annulment, Separation, Support, Etc."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-913","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"ee5071f106d2c0a76838780cc0cef209dd219b6da7cc1d8acc16a7101e41efc8","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-912","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-914"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}