Category Archives: Alimony
Temporary Alimony Can Lead to Protracted Legal Disputes in Complex Cases
Florida has finally abolished permanent alimony after many years of controversy. The thought of permanent alimony provokes strong feelings in people who might be ordered to pay it or might be entitled to receive it, but in practice, permanent alimony has only been awarded in a small minority of divorce cases in recent decades. … Read More »
If Not Permanent Alimony, Then What?
In recent years, “gray divorce,” in which both spouses are above the age of 50, account for an increasing share of divorce cases. This is partly because, in this generation, young people who feel ambivalent toward marriage no longer feel the pressure to marry someone that they consider an okay but not great match. … Read More »
Florida Alimony in the Age of SB 1416
Divorce makes both parties feel like their ex-spouse has made them financially worse off, but the effect is especially pronounced if one spouse pays alimony. Even though most alimony awards arise from marital settlement agreements (MSAs) drafted during mediation instead of from judges’ decisions, they still often result in hard feelings. The resentment you… Read More »
The Florida Courts’ Four-Step Process for Terminating or Reducing Alimony Obligations
Most divorce decrees don’t include alimony, and in the case of the ones that do, it is usually obvious from the time the court receives the divorce petition, if not earlier, that one spouse will need alimony, at least for a while. Despite this, determining the exact amount and conditions of alimony can be… Read More »
Can You Get Permanent Alimony If the Marriage Was Short, but the Relationship Was Long?
Permanent alimony, where one spouse sends the other monthly checks until one of the former spouses dies or the recipient spouse remarries, is a popular subject for clickbait, comments on clickbait, and discussions that have little basis in the law. Florida law acknowledges six possible types of alimony, one of which is permanent alimony. … Read More »
Bridge the Gap Alimony
Lots of people have an angry, knee jerk reaction when they hear the word alimony, but there are more complex legal issues involved with it than you might expect. Most people who get divorced in Florida do not have to pay alimony at all. Likewise, in most cases, the spouses themselves work out the… Read More »
Are Permanent Alimony and Returning to the Workforce Your Only Options After a Long Marriage?
Certain social media accounts are dedicated to instilling in young men the fear that a pretty young thing will steal their hearts, and no sooner will the ink dry on the marriage certificate than she will be asking for permanent alimony. As many clicks as these accounts may get, and as entertaining as their… Read More »
Alimony and Child Support Awards Are Based on Your Net Income, Not Your Gross Income
When drunken friends and rage-drunk YouTube personalities tell you that the court will order you to pay half of your monthly income to your ex-spouse every month until you have been divorced for as many months as you were ever married, you should not let it get to you, because that is not how… Read More »
Can the Court Require You to Continue Paying Alimony After You Die?
As much as high-income spouses fear alimony orders during divorce, the court tries to divide couples’ assets in ways that do not require alimony payments, when this is possible. If the lower-income spouse is young enough and healthy enough for employment, then alimony awards tend to be of short duration, and the amounts are… Read More »
How To Avoid Paying Permanent Alimony
When a process server hands you a divorce petition from your spouse, it feels like you are experiencing the worst thing that could happen. You are certain to suffer financial losses, and the future of your relationship with your children is now uncertain. As much as your spouse drove you crazy when you were… Read More »
