The Meaning and significance of The Different Categories of alimony

There are five spousal support categories in Florida. They are durational, temporary, permanent, rehabilitative, and bridge-the-gap alimony. Temporary spousal support is granted to a spouse in need during divorce proceedings. The party requesting this alimony should demonstrate the need and prove that the paying spouse has the means to pay. Temporary support helps the spouse earning lower income to remain stable during a protracted divorce. It ends upon dissolution of marriage. Bridge-the-gap spousal support is rare in other states. It is a payment that helps the receiving spouse cover intermediate needs as they transition to singlehood. For instance, the benefiting spouse can pay bills and living expenses before an asset sells or as they seek full-time employment. This type of support has a time limit, and it ends if the supported party remarries or when the spouse making payment dies.

Rehabilitative support might be the most popular type of spousal support in Florida. It gets awarded by the court if the beneficiary can become self-sufficient, given financial help and time to acquire skills, training, education, or redevelop the skills to enter the job market. Spouses should tender a defined and specific rehabilitative plan to the court for this support to get awarded. Durational and rehabilitative alimonies are similar. In both instances, the court sets the time limit. No rehabilitative plan is necessary for durational support. Durational support is suitable if the receiving spouse needs assistance for a given duration but does not qualify for permanent support. Support should not last more than the time the marriage lasted.

Permanent support is a rare category of alimony. It is intended for spouses who require financial assistance and may not become self-sufficient. It could be appropriate for a spouse at an advanced age or one who is disabled. A spouse taking care of special needs kids can also qualify for permanent support. There is no legally binding formula for judges to employ when determining spousal support. Judges have the discretion to decide the amount, duration, and type of support.