Family Law (GFL) — Title 11. Alimony
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Subtitle 1
(a)
The court may award alimony:
(1)
on a bill of complaint for alimony; or
(2)
as a part of a decree that grants:
(i)
an annulment;
(ii)
a limited divorce; or
(iii)
an absolute divorce.
(b)
The court may award alimony to either party.
(c)
If a final disposition as to alimony has been made in an agreement between the parties, the court is bound by that agreement as the agreement relates to alimony.
(d)
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section, the court may not award alimony on a bill of complaint for alimony to the spouse of a resident in a related institution as defined in § 19-301 of the Health - General Article, if the petitioner attempts to satisfy the separation grounds for divorce under §§ 7-102 and 7-103 of this article based on the spouse’s residence in the related institution.
(a)
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, in a proceeding for divorce, alimony, or annulment of marriage, the court may award alimony pendente lite to either party.
(b)
The court may not award alimony pendente lite in a proceeding for alimony on a bill of complaint for alimony to the spouse of a resident in a related institution as defined in § 19-301 of the Health - General Article if the petitioner attempts to satisfy the separation grounds for divorce under §§ 7-102 and 7-103 of this article based on the spouse’s residence in a related institution.
The existence of a ground for divorce against the party seeking alimony is not an automatic bar to the court awarding alimony to that party.
(a)
In a proceeding for a limited or absolute divorce, the court may award to the plaintiff alimony as a part of a decree granting a divorce or alimony pendente lite, if:
(1)
the bill of complaint asks for alimony and says that the defendant owns property in this State; and
(2)
the court lacks or is unable to exercise personal jurisdiction over the defendant.
(b)
Any alimony or alimony pendente lite that is awarded under this section is payable only from the property referred to in the bill of complaint or the proceeds of that property. The court may pass any order regarding the property that is necessary to make the award effective.
If an annulment or a limited or absolute divorce has been granted by a court in another jurisdiction, a court in this State may award alimony to either party if:
(1)
the court in the other jurisdiction lacked or did not exercise personal jurisdiction over the party seeking alimony; and
(2)
the party seeking alimony was domiciled in this State at least 1 year before the annulment or divorce was granted.
(a)
(1)
The court shall determine the amount of and the period for an award of alimony.
(2)
The court may award alimony for a period beginning from the filing of the pleading that requests alimony.
(3)
At the conclusion of the period of the award of alimony, no further alimony shall accrue.
(b)
In making the determination, the court shall consider all the factors necessary for a fair and equitable award, including:
(1)
the ability of the party seeking alimony to be wholly or partly self-supporting;
(2)
the time necessary for the party seeking alimony to gain sufficient education or training to enable that party to find suitable employment;
(3)
the standard of living that the parties established during their marriage;
(4)
the duration of the marriage;
(5)
the contributions, monetary and nonmonetary, of each party to the well-being of the family;
(6)
the circumstances that contributed to the estrangement of the parties;
(7)
the age of each party;
(8)
the physical and mental condition of each party;
(9)
the ability of the party from whom alimony is sought to meet that party’s needs while meeting the needs of the party seeking alimony;
(10)
any agreement between the parties;
(11)
the financial needs and financial resources of each party, including:
(i)
all income and assets, including property that does not produce income;
(ii)
any award made under §§ 8-205 and 8-208 of this article;
(iii)
the nature and amount of the financial obligations of each party; and
(iv)
the right of each party to receive retirement benefits; and
(12)
whether the award would cause a spouse who is a resident of a related institution as defined in § 19-301 of the Health - General Article and from whom alimony is sought to become eligible for medical assistance earlier than would otherwise occur.
(c)
The court may award alimony for an indefinite period, if the court finds that:
(1)
due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability, the party seeking alimony cannot reasonably be expected to make substantial progress toward becoming self-supporting; or
(2)
even after the party seeking alimony will have made as much progress toward becoming self-supporting as can reasonably be expected, the respective standards of living of the parties will be unconscionably disparate.
(a)
Subject to § 8-103 of this article, the court may extend the period for which alimony is awarded, if:
(1)
circumstances arise during the period that would lead to a harsh and inequitable result without an extension; and
(2)
the recipient petitions for an extension during the period.
(b)
Subject to § 8-103 of this article and on the petition of either party, the court may modify the amount of alimony awarded as circumstances and justice require.
Unless the parties agree otherwise, alimony terminates:
(1)
on the death of either party;
(2)
on the marriage of the recipient; or
(3)
if the court finds that termination is necessary to avoid a harsh and inequitable result.
(a)
In this section, “designee” means:
(1)
a support enforcement agency that is authorized by law to receive alimony payments for the recipient; or
(2)
a person who is designated by the court as trustee or guardian to receive alimony payments for the recipient.
(b)
The court may order that alimony payments be made to a designee.
(c)
A designee shall:
(1)
send the payments to the recipient; and
(2)
keep a record of:
(i)
the amount of each payment;
(ii)
the date that each payment must be made; and
(iii)
the name and address of each party.
(d)
Each party shall inform the designee of:
(1)
any change of address; or
(2)
any other fact that might affect the administration of the order.
(e)
If the party who is required to pay alimony fails to make a payment, the designee or the recipient may bring an enforcement proceeding.
(f)
The State’s Attorney may represent the designee in any enforcement proceeding that is brought under this section.
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Proceeding” includes a proceeding for:
(i)
alimony;
(ii)
alimony pendente lite;
(iii)
modification of an award of alimony; and
(iv)
enforcement of an award of alimony.
(3)
“Reasonable and necessary expense” includes:
(i)
suit money;
(ii)
counsel fees; and
(iii)
costs.
(b)
At any point in a proceeding under this title, the court may order either party to pay to the other party an amount for the reasonable and necessary expense of prosecuting or defending the proceeding.
(c)
Before ordering the payment, the court shall consider:
(1)
the financial resources and financial needs of both parties; and
(2)
whether there was substantial justification for prosecuting or defending the proceeding.
(d)
Upon a finding by the court that there was an absence of substantial justification of a party for prosecuting or defending the proceeding, and absent a finding by the court of good cause to the contrary, the court shall award to the other party the reasonable and necessary expense of prosecuting or defending the proceeding.
(e)
The court may award reimbursement for any reasonable and necessary expense that has previously been paid.
(f)
As to any amount awarded for counsel fees, the court may:
(1)
order that the amount awarded be paid directly to the lawyer; and
(2)
enter judgment in favor of the lawyer.
(a)
In accordance with the provisions of § 15-408 of the Insurance Article, the court may, either after a divorce is granted or pendente lite, allocate between the parties any additional costs of providing hospital, medical, or surgical benefits under a group contract or require continuation or reinstatement of such benefits.
(b)
A court may, either after a divorce or pendente lite, allocate between the parties any expenses incurred for continuation of hospital, medical, or surgical benefits made available under a group contract in accordance with federal law.
When granting a limited divorce, an absolute divorce, or an annulment, if the court finds from the testimony of 2 or more physicians competent in psychiatry that 1 of the parties is permanently and incurably insane with no hope of recovery, then, notwithstanding any agreement between the parties, the court may require a party to:
(1)
pay alimony or support for the benefit of the insane party;
(2)
pay a lump sum, based on the life expectancy of the insane party and the financial condition of the other party, together with the insane party’s reasonable funeral expenses; or
(3)
give bond to this State conditioned on the payment for:
(i)
the care and support of the insane party for the rest of the insane party’s life; and
(ii)
the insane party’s reasonable funeral expenses.