Alimony is one of the considerations of divorce that some people are curious about. There are some people who find the thought of getting money every month from their ex-spouse alluring. Before any person heads to court for a divorce, they should know some of the basics regarding alimony in Florida.
One of the interesting things about alimony in the state is that there is a variety of orders that can used for alimony. The judge can order that alimony be paid in a lump sum or periodically. The judge can also order that a person pay both a lump sum payment and periodic payments.
When it comes to alimony orders, the judge can order permanent alimony, rehabilitative alimony, bridge-the-gap alimony or durational alimony. The type of alimony paid depends upon a variety of factors.
Permanent alimony ends if the person receiving the alimony gets remarried or if either party dies. If this is awarded, the court has to find that none of the other forms of alimony were appropriate.
Rehabilitative alimony is awarded if one of the spouses needs to learn to support himself or herself. There has to be a specific plan in place to gain the skills, education, experience or training necessary to enter the workforce.
Bridge-the-gap alimony is for helping one party to adjust to single life by meeting short term needs. This can be awarded for up to two years.
Durational alimony is for a set period of time but can be terminated if the recipient remarries or if either party dies. This form of alimony can’t last longer than the length of the marriage.
The length of the marriage, standard of living of the marriage, financial resources available, age of each person, physical and emotional condition of each, contribution of the parties to the household, tax implications of an alimony order, incomes and equality of the parties are all factors used to determine alimony orders. Because of the complexity of alimony, having a full understanding of the law is vital to ensure that a spouse is properly represented.
Source: Online Sunshine, “The 2014 Florida Statutes” Jul. 31, 2014