As the roles of parents and spouses in Florida continue to evolve, many people experience confusion about what sorts of financial arrangements they can expect in the event of a divorce. Some divorcing spouses expect that they will either be obligated to pay or entitled to receive spousal support, known to many people as alimony. Still others assume that alimony is a thing of the past and that they will be left high and dry in the event of a marriage ending in divorce.
Obviously, every couple’s situation is different, and so alimony payments might be appropriate in some cases and all but impossible in others. Without consulting with an experienced family law attorney, however, you won’t be able to move forward with certainty as far as your finances. It’s certainly not worth staying in a bad marriage for financial reasons on the assumption that you won’t be eligible for alimony.
In fact, there are five basic types of alimony that exist in Florida — and most of them are not indefinite arrangements. On the contrary, many alimony agreements these days are for a set length of time rather than on a permanent basis. The five basic types of alimony are:
- Temporary alimony, which can be in force while a case is pending so that the recipient can maintain a similar lifestyle. Once a judgment is in place, one of the other alimony types (or none at all) can take effect.
- Spouses who are in transition to being single might receive bridge-the-gap alimony. Because this is meant to address short-term needs, it rarely exceeds two years in length.
- Rehabilitative alimony gives a spouse temporary financial help while they work to re-establish their careers or train for a new one. A plan must be submitted to the judge before rehabilitative alimony will be considered.
- Durational alimony can be ordered for a set length of time, or duration, in the event of a relatively short marriage. The alimony cannot last longer than the marriage itself.
- Finally, permanent alimony might be granted after a long marriage to a spouse who cannot meet their financial obligations. Many marriages today are made up of two working spouses, so this type of alimony might not be relevant.
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John Schutz
Partner at John F. Schutz, P.L.
Representing clients exclusively in family law cases for the past 24 years, Mr. Schutz is widely regarded as a marital and family law expert. He is Board Certified in marital and family law by The Florida Bar. As a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), Mr. Schutz is committed to elevating the standards and improving the practice of family law.
Latest posts by John Schutz (see all)
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- What are the Types of Alimony in Florida? - October 19, 2019
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