What are the Different Types of Alimony in Florida?
In Florida, alimony is called spousal support. It is a specific amount of money that is paid by one spouse to the other. It is often awarded as part of a divorce decree. Essentially, the court will rule that if one spouse has a need for alimony, and the other spouse has the ability to pay, then the spouse with the lower earning power should be paid a sum of money to help them with living costs. In this article, the St. Petersburg, FL, divorce lawyers at The Law Office of Kevin Coleman will discuss the various forms of alimony that are available in Florida.
Temporary alimony (alimony pendente lite)
Temporary alimony is awarded to a lower-earning spouse who needs help while the divorce is being settled. In other words, it’s only paid during the divorce proceedings and terminates once the divorce is finalized. Its purpose is to help the lower-earning spouse maintain stability during their divorce.
Bridge the gap alimony
This type of alimony is designed to help the lower-earning spouse transition from married life to being without the support of another partner. Its purpose is to cover legitimate short-term needs. The length of this type of alimony cannot exceed two years. It cannot be modified in either amount or duration.
Rehabilitative alimony
Rehabilitative alimony is designed to help the lower-earning spouse become self-supporting through the development of their job skills, attaining credentials, going to college to earn a degree, to get training, or otherwise improve their job prospects. The lower-earning spouse must submit a plan to the court that outlines how the money will be used. The lower-earning spouse must abide by the plan specifics for them to continue to receive this type of alimony. The duration of this plan cannot exceed five years. Rehabilitative alimony can be modified or terminated based on a “substantial change in circumstances or failure to comply with the plan.
Durational alimony
This form of alimony provides financial assistance for a specific amount of time. How long durational alimony lasts is tied to the length of the marriage, with different caps depending on how long the marriage lasted. For example:
- Short-term marriages (marriages less than 10 years) – An individual is allowed to collect alimony for 50% of the duration of the marriage. So, a marriage that lasted 10 years would afford the recipient 5 years of durational alimony.
- Moderate-term marriages (10 to 20 years) – An individual can collect alimony for 60% of the duration of the marriage.
- Long-term marriages (over 20 years) – An individual can collect alimony for up to 75% of the duration of the marriage.
Talk to a St. Petersburg Divorce Lawyer Today
The Law Office of Kevin F. Coleman represents the interests of St. Petersburg residents during their divorce. Call our St. Petersburg family lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.
