Alimony

There have been changes to the Florida alimony laws by our Florida legislature. There are still several types of alimony, bridge -the -gap alimony, rehabilitative alimony and durational alimony. Temporary alimony may also be awarded during the pendency of a divorce case. However, Florida Statues no longer provide for an award of permanent periodic alimony. Further, durational alimony may not be awarded following a marriage that has lasted less than 3 years.

Alimony may be awarded to the spouse who has an actual need for the support and when the primary wage earner has the ability to pay it. The payment of alimony is often looked upon with dread by the paying spouse as it is often perceived by the paying spouse that the receiving spouse is less inclined to earn a living. Whether alimony is awarded depends upon a number of specific factors which include, but are not limited to, the standard of living during the marriage, the marriage’s length, the spouses’ financial resources and age as well as contributions to the marriage.

Florida law has now set forth rebuttable presumptions that a marriage of less than 10 years is a short term marriage; that a moderate term marriage is one that is greater in length than 10 years and less than 20 years and; that a long term marriage is a marriage of 20 years or longer. See Florida Statute 61.08.