Alimony

Alimony Attorney In Florida

Alimony is a Florida law that allows a party to continue to be supported by the other spouse temporarily during the divorce and after a divorce is finalized when there is a disparity in financial resources. At Hughes Law Group, our alimony attorney can help explain the factors that go into alimony amounts.

These areas include:

  • The length of the marriage
  • The age, physical and emotional health of each party
  • The standard of living during the marriage
  • Financial resources that are available to each person including joint assets and independent assets
  • The contribution the each party made to the marriage (including homemaking, child care and career building of the other party)
  • The earning capacities, educational levels, vocational skills and employability of each of party
  • Sources of income available to each party
  • The responsibilities each party will have with regard to any minor children they have in common

How our alimony attorney can help you:

Marriages are classified by their length based on the date of marriage to the date of the filing of the divorce petition. They are classified as short, moderate, or long-term. These classifications are broken down as follows:

Short-term

A marriage that lasted less than 10 years

Moderate-term

A marriage having a duration between 10 and 20 years

Long-term

A marriage having a duration of 20 years or more

When it comes to alimony in Florida, not all cases result in alimony. However, it is important to understand each type of alimony that may be possible. One of the ways Hughes Law Group can help you is by explaining in detail the different types of alimony. These types of alimony include:

    • Temporary Alimony – A court awards one spouse this type of alimony during the divorce proceeding usually to maintain status quo until a permanent solution is found.
    • Bridge-The-Gap Alimony – This type of alimony transitional alimony and is to help a spouse to transition from married life to single life. It is a monthly payment of a shorter duration, not to exceed 2 years. It is typically used in short-term marriages.
    • Rehabilitative Alimony – This type of alimony occurs when a spouse will need to pursue educational or vocational skill training, often when one spouse lets their professional career lapse due to their marriage. This alimony requires the preparation of a very specific “plan” and the alimony covers completion of a “plan” until they are back at their typical level of income or become self-supporting. The length of an award of rehabilitative alimony may not exceed 5 years.
    • Durational Alimony – This type of alimony may not exceed 50 percent of the length of a short-term marriage, 60 percent of the length of a moderate-term marriage, or 75 percent the length of a long-term marriage. Under exceptional circumstances, the court may extend the term of durational alimony by a showing of clear and convincing evidence that it is necessary after application of certain factors (example: contributions made in homemaking, et cetera) and upon consideration of all of the following additional factors:
      1. The person seeing alimony is limited in self-support by age, and employability.
      2. The person seeking alimony has limited financial resources.
      3. The person seeking alimony is mentally or physically disabled or has been diagnosed with a mental or physical condition that has rendered, or will render, him or her incapable of self-support.
      4. The person seeking alimony is the caregiver to a mentally or physically disabled child, whether or not the child has attained the age of majority, who is common to the parties. Any extension terminates upon the child no longer requiring caregiving.
         The amount of durational alimony is based on the recipient’s reasonable needs, and is capped at 35% of the difference between the parties’ net incomes.
         The award of alimony may not leave the payor with significantly less net income than the net income of the recipient unless there are written findings of exceptional circumstances.
    • Lump sum Alimony – This type of alimony may entail a spouse being paid in one lump sum as opposed to over a period of time, or it could be a finite amount paid in installments.

 

Talk to a Tampa Bay Spousal Support Lawyer

By working with Hughes Law Group alimony attorney, you will be briefed in full detail on all the options available to you. Through our vast experience, we work to ensure you get the right solution for your alimony case. Learn more about our alimony expertise by contacting our Hughes Law Group today in New Port Richey and Tampa.