Spousal support, or alimony, is designed to help equalize what may be unequal financial impacts of divorce. In Florida, different types of alimony may be awarded for different durations based on an evaluation of those factors. Because alimony can be a contentious issue during divorce, divorcing couples should understand how alimony awards are made.
What factors are used to determine alimony?
Factors that are considered when determining alimony include the standard of living enjoyed by the couple during the marriage; the length of the marriage; the ages of the divorcing spouses; the physical and emotional conditions of the divorcing spouses; the financial resources of each of the divorcing spouses; the income-earning capacity of each the divorcing spouses; the time needed to acquire education or training for appropriate employment; any services rendered by one of the spouses through homemaking or child rearing or by supporting the education or career development of the other spouse; and the income-producing capacity of the assets each spouse receives in the property division settlement agreement.
What types of alimony may be available?
Several different types of alimony may be available depending on the situation and circumstances including rehabilitative alimony, bridge-the-gap alimony, durational alimony and lump-sum alimony. Divorcing spouses should be familiar with each and when they are awarded.
Spousal support may be requested by either of the spouses during the divorce process. The divorce and property division process is designed to leave each spouse on as positive as possible a financial footing as possible following their divorce which is why divorcing couples should understand alimony as part of the overall divorce and property division process.