The categories and Implications of Different Alimony Categories in Florida

Couples can discuss alimony terms, including duration, type, and amount of spousal support. However, the judge may intervene and settle the issue if spouses cannot agree. There are five alimony categories in Florida, Permanent, durational, temporary, rehabilitative, and bridge-the-gap. Follow this link for a detailed explanation of every type of alimony in Florida. Temporary support gets granted to a spouse who needs financial assistance during a protracted divorce. The spouse requesting spousal support should demonstrate the need for monetary support and show that the other spouse has the wherewithal. Low-income earning spouses can remain financially stable during a divorce thanks to temporary support. The payments end after the divorce gets finalized.

Bridge-the-gap support is rare in other states. The spousal support helps the recipient to meet legitimate intermediate financial needs as they transition to singlehood. For instance, the money can pay bills as the spouse waits for an asset to sell. The support has a time limit and terminates when the beneficiary remarries or the spouse making payments dies. Rehabilitative support is quite common in Florida. The support gets awarded if a spouse can become self-sustaining, given financial support and time to acquire education, redevelop skills, or work experience to find a job. Spouses should create a well-defined and specific rehabilitative plan before the court awards this alimony category. Durational support is suitable for spouses who need financial assistance for a given time after divorce. It gets awarded to spouses who don’t meet the conditions for permanent support.

Permanent support is rare. It gets awarded to spouses who cannot become self-sustaining any time soon. The alimony is appropriate for aged and disabled spouses. It is also suitable for spouses caring for kids with special needs. The judge assesses other factors before awarding spousal support, including living standards, marriage duration, the contribution made by spouses to a marriage, and the physical and emotional health of couples. The judge can freely determine the terms of spousal support because no standard formula exists in law. Spouses can request modifications to alimony terms unless there is a written agreement indicating that that would not happen.