Jacksonville Divorce Lawyer Blog
Written By: Lenorae C. Atter, Attorney
Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.
Florida divorce law allows for a spouse to be awarded spousal support/alimony, if the court finds that the requesting party has a need for support and if the other party has the ability to pay alimony. Both tests are important in determining spousal support because the goal of the court is to make the parties whole, not to make one party whole while the other lives a destitute life. In addition to determining the need and ability to pay, the court must determine how long spousal support is necessary or allowed under the Florida alimony statute.
The Florida alimony statute allows for alimony in different forms: lump sum, periodic, bridge-the gap, permanent and rehabilitative. The spousal support awarded is based on the evidence presented, including the length of the marriage, the contribution of each party to the household, the health of the parties, and other factors. In order to have alimony awarded, the need for support must be shown to the court and that need should be quantified, especially with recent changes to permanent alimony, which require that the court the spousal support is needed permanently.
If you have questions regarding your Florida divorce, speak with a family law attorney about your rights and options.