FLORIDA DIVORCE LAWYER DETAILS THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALIMONY AWARDS
One of the biggest factors in a divorce that comes to mind for a lot of divorcing spouses is how much alimony he or she will have to pay or will receive.
Many people believe that there is one type of alimony, and the amount and duration of the alimony are fairly standard. However, there are actually six kinds of alimony in Florida, and whether or not you will receive or have to pay any of these types of alimony depends on various circumstances.
The six types of alimony in Florida are:
- Permanent alimony: This is the best type of alimony for those receiving it and the worst for the spouse who has to pay it. Permanent alimony is more likely to be awarded in long-term marriages, especially if one spouse has a much larger earning capacity than the other spouse.
- Temporary alimony: Temporary alimony only continues until the divorce is final, and is intended to help a spouse who requires financial support during a divorce.
- Bridge-the-gap alimony: This begins after the divorce is final, but lasts only for a short time, up to two years at the most. The purpose is to help one spouse meet identifiable short-term needs, such as finishing a semester of college so that he or she may get a better job.
- Durational alimony: Durational alimony may be awarded to help a spouse with economic assistance for a set period of time following a short or medium-length marriage. Durational alimony can only last as long as the marriage lasted.
- Rehabilitative alimony: This is awarded in order to help one of the spouses obtain the capacity to support himself or herself. This can be awarded to help a spouse complete education or training to find a job. This is often awarded to spouses who have given up their careers in order to raise children, and now need help in becoming reestablished in the workplace.
- Lump sum alimony: This is alimony that is paid in a lump sum of money, typically used in situations in which making monthly payments wouldn’t be appropriate.
