How to Influence the Cost of a Divorce in Florida

If the question in your mind is, how much does a divorce cost in Florida? Here is what you need to know. Most expenses during a divorce go towards filing fees and attorney charges. An amicable divorce is predictable, while a contentious divorce is unpredictable. For this reason, divorce attorneys usually charge a flat fee for uncontested divorces and an hourly fee for contentious divorces. If couples are willing to iron out any disputes outside court, they can pursue an amicable divorce. Unfortunately, many couples cannot see each other eye to eye. As such, they fight and argue over various issues. A contentious divorce can take a long time in court. The judge has to adjudicate every issue before dissolving the union. Either spouse can file an appeal if they are not satisfied with the outcome. If a contentious divorce takes long in the corridors of justice, the costs may escalate to unprecedented levels.

An amicable divorce is desirable under any circumstance. It helps spouses to protect their incomes and savings. Couples who take their battle to court can extinguish their wealth through a divorce. A wise decision would be to convince your partner about the benefits of amicability. Although it may be hard to part ways with your children, valued assets, and investments, you should consider the greater good. Spouses who avoid unnecessary fights during their divorce shield their children from trauma. Moreover, amicable spouses are likely to maintain healthy relations for the sake of their children. The situation is different with hostile partners. A contentious divorce can affect your work life and health. If all you think about is the divorce, you can get depressed and unproductive.

Couples often fight over alimony, timesharing (child custody and visitation), debts, assets, and insurance. Some marriage partners are hell-bent on retaining investments, houses, cars, and other assets following a divorce. If no one is willing to compromise, the divorce goes to arbitration. Thankfully, couples can alleviate their disputes to fast-track the process and lower costs. The fewer the issues there are during a divorce, the quicker the process becomes. If you succeed in an amicable process, have your divorce attorney examine the settlement agreement to ensure it has no costly mistakes.

Understanding the Costs and Implications of an Uncontested Divorce

Spouses exchange vows in the hope that their marriage will last. However, unforeseen circumstances necessitating a divorce may arise. There are many reasons why couples choose to end their union. It could be infidelity, lack of intimacy, communication, financial challenges, drug abuse, physical distance, incompatibility, domestic violence, etc. Couples who endure hard times stand a better chance of staying married. However, it is not advisable to tolerate toxicity and domestic abuse. If you are unhappy and depressed concerning your marriage, a divorce may be the solution. If you are at this point, get the advice of a diligent and family-oriented attorney. They should enlighten you concerning your divorce options and the merits of each. Since the cost of uncontested divorce in Florida is affordable, your attorney should encourage you to pursue this option.

An amicable divorce can only take place if both spouses are on the same page concerning everything. Spouses often disagree concerning alimony, debt, assets, timesharing (child visitation and custody), child insurance, upkeep, etc. It may be hard to resist negative emotions during a divorce. However, couples who can see the good in an amicable divorce stand a better chance of solving all their disputes privately. An uncontested divorce protects savings and incomes. If you have children, assets, and investments, you should try the best you can to secure them from the consequences of an ugly divorce. Couples who do not have any children or significant assets can get divorced without any drama. However, the presence of children and wealth presents a challenge that takes courage and time to solve. 

Apart from being affordable, an amicable divorce is usually quick and less tiring. Unfortunately, some spouses cannot agree on anything. If couples cannot resolve some or all their issues, the court gets involved. The more disputes there are, the longer the divorce could take. A contentious divorce is usually costly, time-consuming, and tiring. Spouses should alleviate their differences to fast-track the process and minimize costs. A family-oriented divorce attorney should help you to avoid the pitfalls many get into unknowingly during the process.

The awarding of Different Types of Alimony in Florida

The types of alimony in Florida are durational, permanent, temporary, rehabilitative, and bridge-the-gap. Temporary support is for a spouse who needs financial help during divorce proceedings. The requesting spouse has to show that they need help and that the paying spouse has the means. The low-income earning spouse becomes stable financially during the period of a protracted divorce process. After the marriage gets dissolved, the spousal support ends. Bridge-the-gap alimony is not common in other states. Spousal support in this case helps the receiving party to meet short-term needs as they transition to singlehood. The money received can pay bills or living expenses as they seek employment or wait to sell their marital home.

Except for permanent support, all other alimony categories have a time limit. Rehabilitative alimony is probably the most popular in Florida. It gets awarded when a spouse can become self-sustaining except that they need financial help and time to acquire an education, work experience, or redevelop skills necessary to re-enter the job market. Before this category of alimony gets awarded, spouses have to produce a defined and specific rehabilitative plan. The court reviews it before certifying the spousal support. Durational and rehabilitative supports are similar in that both have a time limit. Durational alimony gets granted where the beneficiary requires financial assistance for a given period following the divorce. The support period cannot outlast the marriage duration.

Permanent support, unlike other types of alimony, is rare. It is only made available to spouses who cannot become financially independent after the divorce. It is often appropriate for disabled and aged spouses or spouses taking care of special needs kids. The requesting spouse has to demonstrate unique circumstances. The court assesses the duration of the marriage as well before determining the award amount. Permanent alimony may end if the supported party remarries or the providing spouse dies. It is advisable for divorcing spouses to have a settlement agreement regarding spousal support to avoid the tedious and inconveniencing intervention of the court.

Understanding Alimony in the State of Florida

Alimony is a payment ordered by the court from one spouse to another during and after the divorce. Since Florida alimony laws don’t prescribe a formula for determining alimony, the judge has the discretion to determine the type and amount of spousal support. The court considers several factors when determining the type, amount, and duration of alimony. In the past, alimony was the preserve of the wife because she stayed at home taking care of the household. In case of a divorce, the stay-at-home spouse loses shared income to a life without any source of livelihood. As such, the court would award the divorced woman an alimony amount to ensure they don’t become financially destitute. Today, it is common for both spouses to earn active income. However, alimony remains an option.

There are five categories of alimony in Florida. They are rehabilitative, durational, permanent, temporary, and bridge-the-gap alimony. Divorcing spouses are at liberty to discuss spousal support, including the amount, type, and duration. However, if they cannot reach an agreement, the judge has no choice but to intervene and decide. Rehabilitative alimony is one of the most popular in Florida. It gets awarded where the benefiting spouse can become self-sufficient given financial assistance and time. During the award of the alimony, the spouse redevelops the skills necessary to enter the job market. Spouses have to generate a well-defined and specific rehabilitative plan before this type of support gets granted.

Bridge-the-gap alimony is spousal support that helps the receiving spouse meet their short-term requirements during the transition period. The money can get used for settling bills as the spouse seeks full-time employment. There is a set duration for bridge-the-gap alimony. If the spouse making the payment dies or the benefiting spouse remarries, the court terminates the spousal support. Florida is among the few states that grant this type of alimony. Temporary alimony is made available during the duration of a lengthy divorce. Permanent alimony is not usual. It is for spouses who are unable to become self-sufficient in the future. The support is appropriate for aged, disabled, or spouses taking care of special needs children.

The Merits of an Uncontested Divorce in Florida

There are many reasons why spouses should stay put and fight for their marriages. When challenging times come, some couples give up easily, not knowing that the situation is not permanent. Partners who stay strong and work on their union have a better chance of succeeding in marriage. Unfortunately, not everyone has the tenacity to confront various situations. If your union is hopelessly broken, you have no choice but to quit. There is no point in tolerating a violent and toxic relationship. Your peace of mind and happiness should come before anything else. To protect your interests during a divorce, hire a diligent and honest attorney. They should enlighten you on the divorce process and help you with challenging decisions.

Some divorcing spouses do not want to appear in court or spend a fortune on the divorce process. If you want an affordable, quick, and less tiring divorce process, choose a Florida uncontested divorce. Although an amicable divorce process is desirable, it takes a lot of courage and compromise. Often, divorcing spouses cannot see each other eye to eye. The hostility between them makes it hard to reach any consensus. If the couple can master the courage to overcome pent-up emotions, an uncontested divorce might become possible. Amicability requires tolerance, compromise, and concessions. Since there is certainty in an uncontested divorce, your attorney usually charges a flat fee. The judge has nothing to do except dissolving the marriage in an amicable divorce.

If a union has children, spouses should do everything possible to shield them from the effects of the divorce. Spouses who argue and fight all the time have a hard time taking control of the situation. Children in a contested divorce may suffer trauma and unhealthy growth. Contrary to an amicable divorce, contested divorces can become quite expensive and lengthy. Spouses who are keen on protecting their savings and incomes should avoid disputes. If it becomes hard to resolve all issues, try and alleviate them to minimize costs and fast-track the process.