Alimony in Washington: how it is calculated
Alimony in Washington follows District of Columbia law, not a local rule — the same statute applies whether the case is filed in District of Columbia or anywhere else in the state. Here is what that formula produces, and where a Washington case is actually heard.
Where a Washington case goes
A divorce filed in Washington is heard by the District of Columbia court for District of Columbia. The judge applies the state statute below; the county sets the filing procedure, not the amount. Washington has about 702,250 residents (Census Bureau, 2024 estimate).
Open the full District of Columbia alimony calculator → — same formula, with every input, the statute (D.C. Code § 16-913) and the date it was last checked.
Formula
No statutory formula — courts weigh factors (rule-of-thumb estimate shown)
Type
Discretionary (case by case)
Does Washington have its own rule?
No. D.C. Code § 16-913 applies across District of Columbia, so a case from Washington is decided by the same numbers as one filed anywhere else in the state. What changes locally is the courthouse, the clerk's procedure and how long the docket takes — not the amount.
What the statute says
D.C. Code § 16-913 — District of Columbia alimony factors.
Last checked 2026-09-02. Read the source →