Navigating Alimony Laws in Florida with our Alimony Lawyer
Alimony, also known as spousal support, is a court-ordered payment from one spouse to another spouse in a divorce. This payment can account for an unfair economic burden placed on a lower-wage-earning spouse following a divorce.
When the court orders a person to pay alimony, these payments can come in the form of monthly, weekly, bi-weekly, or lump-sum payments. The court will use a variety of factors to determine the exact amount and duration of spousal support payments.
Schedule a strategy session with our alimony lawyer at Miami Family Law Group, PLLC to discuss alimony in relation to your unique divorce case.
How Does the Court Determine Alimony in Florida?
The court considers a wide range of factors when determining alimony. A few of the significant factors include the following:
- The length of the marriage
- The age of both spouses
- The physical and emotional condition of both spouses
- The couple’s prior standard of living
- The financial resources each spouse owns
- The income-earning capacities of both spouses
- The income-producing capacity of each spouse’s assets
- The time needed to acquire additional education or training to qualify for appropriate employment
Contact our alimony attorney in Miami for a strategy session to discuss how these factors may affect your case.
What Are the Types of Alimony in Florida?
Florida recognizes five different types of alimony payments. The court will examine a wide range of factors involving both spouses to determine the type of alimony to award the receiving spouse.
Here are the five types of alimony in Florida:
- Permanent alimony: Permanent spousal support payments for individuals who cannot and will never be able to earn on their own
- Temporary alimony: Temporary spousal support during the divorce proceedings
- Rehabilitative alimony: Temporary spousal support for individuals in the process of becoming financially independent
- Durational alimony: Temporary spousal support payments that last no longer than the length of the marriage
- Bridge-the-gap alimony: Temporary spousal support lasting no more than two years to help the receiving spouse transition to financial independence
Whether you are seeking alimony from your former spouse or your spouse is requesting alimony from you, having an alimony attorney on your side is important to ensure that your needs are heard throughout the process.
What Happens When Someone Fails to Make Court-Ordered Alimony Payments in Florida?
If your spouse has received a court requirement to pay you alimony, and they fail to make these payments, you can take steps to enforce this court order. Working with a Miami alimony attorney can help you navigate this court process to enforce alimony payments.
When the court finds that a person has failed to make required alimony payments, they may face a range of penalties, such as:
If a couple has mutually agreed to the alimony requirements without involving the court, there would be no legal consequences for failing to make these payments. It is important to make the alimony agreement an official part of the court’s order. Record the agreed-upon alimony terms in writing, and work with an experienced family law attorney to make those terms enforceable while both parties are still in agreement.
Speak with an experienced alimony lawyer at Miami Family Law Group, PLLC if you need to take action regarding missing alimony payments.
