Most states have one or two different types of alimony. Florida, on the other hand, has four; and there used to be five. Each type of alimony will have its own time span. In this article, the Tampa, FL divorce lawyers at Westchase Law, P.A. will answer the question: “How long do you have to pay alimony in Florida?”
Temporary alimony
A Florida court may grant temporary alimony during a divorce to help a spouse who needs financial support. Temporary alimony ends when the court issues a final order or ends the alimony payments, whichever comes first. In other words, temporary alimony helps the spouse during the divorce.
Bridge the gap alimony
Bridge the gap alimony is paid to help a spouse in adjusting to their new life after their divorce. Its purpose is to give the spouse time to become financially independent. Bridge the gap alimony cannot last for more than two years. The alimony payments can also terminate if either party dies or the recipient spouse remarries. This award cannot be altered after the order is entered.
Rehabilitative alimony
Rehabilitative alimony is similar to bridge the gap alimony. However, the recipient spouse must have a plan in place to reestablish their earning potential. This plan must be submitted to the court. For instance, the spouse can argue that they’re going back to school to get their degree and they need alimony for that period.
Rehabilitative alimony can only last for no more than five years. The court can modify a rehabilitative alimony plan for a substantial change in circumstances, failure to comply with the rehabilitative plan or the completion of the rehabilitative plan.
Durational alimony
The judge will set a specific time that durational alimony will last. Durational alimony can be awarded in long-term, medium-length, or short-term marriages. Under the statute, the courts can award either periodic payments or a lump-sum payment to the recipient spouse. At the end of the time period, durational alimony terminates. The court can modify the amount of durational alimony or terminate it based on a substantial change in circumstances.
The length of time durational alimony lasts is calculated based on the following rules:
- You cannot receive durational alimony if your marriage only lasted three years or less
- The term for durational alimony cannot be modified unless there is an exceptional change in circumstances
- Florida courts cannot award durational alimony for periods lasting longer than the marriage (but there are exceptions)
- The maximum term for durational alimony is 50% of a short-term marriage, 60% of a moderate-term marriage, and 75% of a long-term marriage
Talk to a Tampa, Florida Divorce Lawyer Today
Westchase Law, P.A. represents the interests of spouses who are seeking alimony during their divorce. Call our Tampa family lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.