How to Qualify for the Different Types of Alimony in Florida

Temporary alimony is granted when either spouse needs support during the cause of a protracted divorce. The spouse requesting spousal support should demonstrate a need and show the court that the other party has the wherewithal. Temporary support helps the spouse earning a lower income to remain stable during a lengthy divorce. It gets terminated after the union gets dissolved. Bridge-the-gap alimony is only popular in Florida. It helps the benefiting spouse to meet their intermediate needs as they transition to singlehood. For instance, they can pay bills and settle living expenses as they wait for an asset to sell or as they try to get full-time employment. There is a time limit for bridge-the-gap support. The spousal support gets terminated if the beneficiary remarries or when the spouse making the payment dies. Rehabilitative alimony is quite popular in Florida.

Rehabilitative support gets awarded if the benefiting spouse could become self-sustaining given financial help and time to acquire an education, work experience, training, or redevelop the skills needed to enter the job market. Spouses have to create a well-defined and specific rehabilitative plan for court review before rehabilitative support gets granted. Durational and rehabilitative supports are similar in that the court sets time limits for both. A rehabilitative plan is not needed for durational support. Durational support is provided if one spouse needs financial assistance for a set time after getting divorced. It gets awarded to spouses who don’t meet the requirements for permanent support. The support provided should not exceed the duration of the union.

Permanent support is a rare type of divorce in Florida alimony. It is reserved for spouses who cannot become financially stable in the future. It is often appropriate for aged and disabled spouses, or parents taking care of special needs kids. The court considers several factors before awarding permanent support. Alimony is not reserved for women. Anyone can request spousal support if they can demonstrate that they need financial assistance and that the other spouse has the means to pay. Several factors influence alimony, including living standard, marriage duration, the health of the spouse, and financial resources.