Orlando Alimony Attorney
Greater Orlando Family Law Attorneys Help With the Issue of Alimony in Your Florida Divorce
Although not granted in every divorce, alimony can be a very important issue in some divorces. Alimony, also known as spousal support, is an amount of money paid by one divorcing spouse to the other when the receiving spouse has a need for a contribution and the paying spouse has the ability to pay. Alimony can be ordered to be paid during the divorce and/or for a period of time after the divorce is final, either for a short or long-term or even permanently. If you are seeking or opposing alimony in your divorce, the Orlando alimony attorneys at Greater Orlando Family Law can prepare and present a strong case to the judge that supports your interests and needs.
Ten factors used to determine alimony in Florida divorce cases
Should alimony be awarded? if so, what type of alimony is appropriate? How much should be awarded, and how long should it last? Courts use a number of different factors to establish one spouse’s need for alimony and the other spouse’s ability to pay. the information provided to the court by your attorney will determine how the court rules. At Greater Orlando Family Law, our attorneys will make sure all income is reported fully and an individual’s needs are presented accurately. We’ll build a strong case to inform the court on all relevant factors, including:
- The standard of living established during the marriage
- The length of the marriage
- The age and the physical and emotional condition of each party
- The financial resources of each party, including nonmarital and marital assets and liabilities distributed in the property division
- The earning capacities and employability of both persons, including any time necessary to acquire needed education or job training
- The contribution each person made to the marriage, including earning income as well as homemaking, child caregiving, and helping further the career of the other spouse
- The responsibilities each will have regarding children they have in common
- The tax treatment and tax consequences of any alimony award to each
- All sources of income available to either spouse
- Any other factor the court finds necessary
Five types of alimony awarded in a Florida divorce
Assuming the court decides that alimony is appropriate, there is still the question of what type of alimony is most suitable. Alimony in Florida can be any one of five different types, discussed below.
Temporary Alimony – The judge can order alimony to be paid until the divorce becomes final, at which time any final order of alimony will be put in place.
Bridge-the-Gap Alimony – This type of alimony may be awarded when it is needed to help the individual transition from married life to single life. Bridge the gap alimony is designed to assist a party with legitimate identifiable short-term needs. Bridge-the-gap alimony can be awarded for as long as two years.
Rehabilitative Alimony – When a divorcing spouse needs extra time and support to get the education, job skills or work experience necessary to become self-supporting, a period of rehabilitative alimony may be appropriate.
Durational Alimony – Durational alimony can be awarded for a defined length of time up to the length of the marriage. The purpose of durational alimony is to give economic assistance for as long as the court deems it appropriate. Durational alimony is usually awarded as needed after a shorter or medium-length marriage or after a long-term marriage if a permanent award is not deemed appropriate.
Permanent Alimony – After a marriage that lasted 17 years or more, a permanent alimony award may be appropriate to enable a divorcing spouse to maintain the same standard of living experienced during the marriage, when that person won’t have the ability to provide for his or her needs by re-entering the job market or other means. a person who is completely disabled from working may be entitled to permanent alimony even if the marriage was shorter than 17 years.
Strong, Effective Support with Alimony Issues in Your Orlando Divorce
At Greater Orlando Family Law, our Orlando alimony attorneys can help you get the desired result in an alimony dispute by providing the court with strong and convincing evidence on all relevant factors regarding need for alimony, ability to pay, or what details of an alimony award should or should not be put in place. Our knowledgeable and experienced divorce lawyers are effective advocates for your interests in all aspects of your divorce, including a proposed alimony award.
For help with the issue of alimony in your Florida divorce, contact Greater Orlando Family Law at 407-377-6399 for practical advice and professional representation from skilled and detail-oriented Orlando divorce lawyers.
