Alimony Attorney in Naples, Florida

One of the most important aspects of the dissolution of your marriage in Florida will be the determination of alimony. This is the legal mechanism through which a spouse with larger financial resources is responsible for supporting a former spouse. Typically, this is awarded until the spouse requesting it has the means to support him or herself. This support is available for many people and is critical under Florida law. It may also be referred to as maintenance. Alimony is granted to a spouse for a temporary period for rehabilitative purposes or on a permanent basis.

How Alimony is Paid

Although many people think of this being paid on a monthly basis, it can be paid in a lump sum or a combination of both. The court considers numerous non-monetary factors in determining whether or not it should be awarded. Florida outlines three types of alimony that are awarded based on the length of the marriage. Marriages are classified as short, moderate, or long-term under Florida law and the length of the marriage is critical for the determination of the alimony. The law maintains that:

• A marriage lasting fewer than 7 years is categorized as short-term.
• A marriage that lasts 7 or more years, but less than 17 years is a moderate term.
• A marriage that lasts 17 or more years is long-term.

Different purposes align with different types of alimony. Temporary support is given for payments to be made over the course of the divorce proceeding. This award will be automatically terminated when the formal divorce decree is entered.

Types of Long-Term Alimony

Bridge-the-gap or transitional support is to assist a spouse going from being married to being single and to assist with identifiable bills that may be necessary to restart a life without a spouse.

Rehabilitative support is for specific vocational training or educational programs that can allow the spouse receiving the payments to move on with their life on their own.

Durational alimony is often awarded in the cases of a moderate or a short-term marriage. This is available when another type of alimony doesn’t fit the couple’s individual circumstances. The award of the durational support typically will not exceed the length of the marriage in this case.

Permanent support is usually only granted in moderate or long-term marriages and is available to spouses who do not have any ability to achieve the standards set by the marriage with regard to general needs and necessities of life. These will have a serious impact on your future life. Contact The Law Office Of Kevyn Noonan Hayes P.A., for guidance as we have extensive experience negotiating alimony awards that can help you move on with your life and achieve financial success.