The Circumstances Under Which Every Type of Alimony Gets Awarded

There are five categories of alimony in Florida. They are permanent, temporary, rehabilitative, durational, and bridge-the-gap alimony. Temporary support gets awarded if a spouse needs financial assistance during divorce proceedings. The party requesting temporary support should demonstrate to the court that they have a need and that the other party has the wherewithal. Spouses who earn a lower income can request this alimony during a protracted divorce process. Temporary support gets terminated after the marriage gets dissolved. Bridge-the-gap alimony is rare in other states. The receiving spouse can meet their immediate needs as they transition to singlehood. For instance, they can pay bills and living expenses as they wait to get a full-time job or for an asset to get sold. The support should not exceed a specified duration of time. Bridge-the-gap alimony gets terminated if the receiving spouse remarries or the spouse making the payment dies.

Rehabilitative alimony is popular in Florida. It gets awarded if the receiving spouse can become self-sufficient given financial assistance and time to acquire an education, work experience, training, or redevelop skills to enter the workforce. Spouses should create a defined and specific rehabilitative plan before rehabilitative alimony gets awarded by the court. Durational and rehabilitative alimonies are similar. Both have a time limit. A rehabilitative plan is not required under durational support. The support is suitable for a spouse who needs some financial assistance for a while but does not meet the conditions for permanent alimony. Durational support should not exceed the duration of the marriage.

Permanent support is rare. The spousal support gets awarded in instances where spouses cannot become self-sufficient. Permanent support is appropriate for spouses taking care of special needs children or those who are disabled or aged. The court considers the duration of marriage before the final award of divorce in Florida alimony gets decided.