Divorce Alimony Attorney

It is important to chose an experienced family law attorney who knows Florida alimony law before choosing a lawyer and going to divorce court.

Alimony is a situation wherein one spouse helps to support the other spouse during and after the divorce. Alimony depends on many factors such as the length of the marriage, the need for support, the earning capacity of the spouse, the amount of education and the disparity in earnings between the parties.

There are six types of alimony in Florida: Permanent Periodic, Periodic, Lump Sum, Rehabilitative, Bridge-the-Gap and Durational. Alimony awarded after a divorce can be temporary or permanent and is designed to provide the lower-income spouse with money for living expenses and maintaining the marital lifestyle.

Permanent Periodic alimony is awarded when there is a long term marriage, usually in excess of seventeen years and there is a substantial disparity in earning potential between spouses.

Lump Sum alimony is typically one payment from one spouse to the other outside of equitable distribution of the parties marital assets. Rehabilitative alimony is appropriate when one spouse has been out of the workforce for a period of time, but who, with training, can become self-supporting. Rehabilitative alimony requires a written plan for the receiving spouse to become self-supporting and is limited to the time necessary to obtain the proper training.

Bridge-the-Gap alimony is limited to two years duration and is designed to help the receiving spouse adjust to living on his or her own again.

Durational alimony is a new type of alimony for situations which require support longer than bridge-the-gap, but where permanent periodic is not appropriate.