Have you filed for divorce in Florida? If so, the court may order your spouse to pay a set amount of alimony. Usually, alimony is ordered in a situation where one spouse would be unable to financially support themselves after a divorce is final.
If this happens, you may wonder how long you will receive alimony payments. Since each case is unique, there’s no set answer for this. There are several factors considered when determining the amount of time you receive alimony payments.
If you need help with receiving alimony payments or with any other part of your divorce case, I am ready to help. At Griffin Family Law, I take pride in providing my clients the professional, quality legal representation they need and deserve for an array of family law matters.
Who Has to Pay Alimony in the State of Florida?
All divorce and family law cases are unique and have different circumstances. While this is true, the spouse who earns more money is usually the one who is required to pay alimony to the other.
While this is true, there are other factors that the court will consider when determining if alimony should be paid. These factors include:
- Total assets
- Total debts
- Education level
- Access to financial support
- If one spouse committed adultery
- Earning capacity
If you want to maximize your potential of receiving a fair outcome for your alimony case, it’s a good idea to get in touch with me. I have years of experience representing clients in these situations.
Types of Alimony Awarded in the State of Florida
In Florida, there are several types of alimony you may receive. These include:
- Permanent alimony: With this alimony, the person receiving payments will get them indefinitely. Cases of permanent alimony don’t stop unless the spouse who receives the payments gets remarried or if one of the spouses passes away. Sometimes, the court will award permanent alimony to help one spouse maintain the quality of life they are accustomed to after divorce.
- Durational alimony: The court provides durational alimony for a certain amount of time based on the situation.
- Bridge-the-gap alimony: For some, adjusting to life after a divorce is difficult. Some can’t easily adapt to their new life immediately. This is a type of alimony that’s designed to provide financial assistance until the receiver is able to become financially independent. You can receive bridge-the-gap alimony for a period of two years.
- Rehabilitative alimony: This type of alimony helps one spouse remain financially secure while they take the needed steps to reestablish their ability to earn money.
Sometimes, the court will require one spouse to make a single, lump-sum payment or periodic payments as a part of the alimony order. In some cases, both of these payment options are needed.
Factors Florida Courts Consider When Determining Alimony Payment Duration
The length of your marriage is one of the main factors considered when determining alimony payments. When the court awards you durational alimony, it means they cannot last longer than how long your marriage lasted.
In Florida, even a short-term marriage will qualify for some amount of alimony. The most common kind awarded in these cases is bridge-the-gap alimony. In some cases, durational alimony is awarded, but it depends on the situation and circumstances. In most cases, durational alimony is only seen in moderate- or long-term marriages. The duration of the payments will not exceed the length of the marriage.
Only those in long-term marriages will receive permanent alimony, in most cases, there are some situations where moderate-term marriages receive permanent alimony, too.
Contact Griffin Law for Help and Information
There’s no way to know for sure how long a court will order alimony payments in your situation. It depends on the circumstances of your case and how long your marriage lasted. While this is true, I am available to discuss your situation and your goals for your divorce.
When you call Griffin Family Law, you can feel confident that I will use my experience and resources to help you achieve the best possible outcome for your case. Contact me for a free consultation.
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