Alimony & Spousal Support

In Florida, alimony, or “spousal support”, is a type of payment that may be ordered for one spouse to pay the other after a divorce. The purpose of alimony is to relieve any unfair economic burdens on the lower-wage-earning or the non-wage-earning spouse after a divorce.

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In Florida, alimony is determined after the court has equitably distributed the couple’s assets and liabilities. Once that division is made, the court will delve into determining whether alimony ought to be paid, by whom, to whom, and what amount, if any. Spousal support can be granted to either the husband or the wife. Some types of alimony are as

follows:

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Rehabilitative Alimony: This kind of alimony may be awarded for a limited time and is used for the purpose of assisting in the redevelopment of skills and financial independence of the payee spouse. This is usually paid monthly or semi-monthly.

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Bridge-the-Gap Alimony: This kind of alimony allows a party to make the transition from married to single life and it may be used for things such as buying a car or finding a place to live. This is usually paid as a lump sum or over a very short period of time.

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Permanent Alimony: This continues monthly or semi-monthly until the payee spouse remarries or dies.

Durational Alimony: This is awarded only for a certain period of time. It is usually paid monthly or semi-monthly.

Lump-Sum Alimony: This is paid as one lump sum of either money or property.