Alimony is often awarded in a divorce. Alimony is an amount of money that is paid to the dependent spouse, often in monthly payments, that will continue for a set amount of time after the marriage has been ended. Alimony may be called spousal support or maintenance. You may be entitled to no alimony, you may be required to pay alimony, or you may be entitled to receive alimony in a divorce.
In Florida there are six types of alimony: permanent alimony, durational alimony, bridge-the-gap alimony, rehabilitative alimony, temporary alimony and lump sum alimony. Each serves a different purpose and is used in different circumstances. The goal of all alimony awards are to provide financial assistance to the economically disadvantaged spouse, so that he or she is given time in which to rebuild his or her life.
Permanent alimony is usually the best type of alimony for the person receiving it. Generally, permanent alimony is awarded in marriages that have lasted a long time (15 years or more), and those in which there is a large difference in the earning capabilities of the spouses. If a marriage has lasted a significant period of time, one party can argue in court that alimony is needed to continue to maintain the lifestyle to which he or she has grown accustomed. However, if the spouse who is asking the court for alimony is capable of earning more money than he or she is currently making, the court may decide to take that into account when determining the alimony required.
As you can imagine, alimony is one of the most hotly contested issues in many Florida divorces. The person ordered to pay alimony often resents it, and the person receiving alimony is often unsatisfied with the amount.