Length of the Marriage - In Florida each marriage is categorized as a short (0-under seven years), moderate (seven - under seventeen years) or long-term (seventeen + years) marriage.
In some cases, a court will award a temporary alimony award to a spouse while the divorce is pending. The parties can stipulate to a temporary spousal support or a judge can order it, however, a court will usually require both parties to attend a mediation to attempt to resolve the issues first. Temporary alimony usually terminates upon entry of the final judgment of divorce.
Bridge-the-gap alimony is typically awarded in short to moderate term marriages and lasts for a maximum period of two years. The purpose of bridge-the-gap alimony is to help the receiving spouse “bridge the gap” from married to single life and all of the transitions which may take place in between.
Rehabilitative alimony is awarded when the receiving spouse is enrolling in an education or training program in order to establish a more secure means of employment. The receiving spouse must submit an educational or training plan including the projected costs and proof of enrollment. This type of alimony can be extinguished if the receiving party no longer participates in the proposed plan.
Durational alimony can be awarded for up to the length of the marriage. This is used to assist the spouse who makes substantially less than the payor and can be modified or terminated based on a substantial change in circumstances.
Permanent alimony is awarded in long-term marriages where one party makes a substantial amount more than the other. Exceptions exist where a party may receive an award of permanent alimony even if they were married for less than seventeen years. One is when the receiving spouse is disabled and their economic need is permanent. It is important to keep in mind that a judge awarding this type of alimony must provide the reasons as to why other forms of alimony were inappropriate in their order.
Florida has not designated one formula for spousal support like it has for child support. To further discuss Alimony inquiries and the possible calculations used, contact us.
