Spousal support or maintenance (alimony) is used to make sure parties are financially whole after a divorce. At Cheryl Bucker, P.A., our attorney represents clients who need legal assistance establishing, enforcing or modifying alimony awards. If you or a loved one has experienced a substantial change in circumstances, such as the loss of a job or a remarriage, you may petition to court for a modification of your alimony award. Our attorney litigates on behalf of clients who seek to receive the maximum possible amount of alimony, as well as for those clients who seek to minimize their alimony obligation.
In July 2010, the Florida statute regarding alimony underwent significant changes. There is now a rebuttable presumption that a short-term marriage is one having a duration of less than 7 years; a moderate-term marriage is one greater than 7 but less than 17 years; and a long-term marriage is one greater than 17 years. The law also provides exact requirements for how long a party must be married in order to be entitled to long-term alimony. The new provisions also set up different types of alimony for parties who do not qualify for permanent alimony; however, judges must still take the spouse's need and the other spouse's ability to pay into account
Permanent Alimony
Under the new law, permanent alimony is only available to spouses who have been in a moderate-term or long-term marriage. It may be awarded to provide for the needs and necessities of life as they were established during the marriage of the parties for a party who lacks the financial ability to meet his or her needs and necessities.
Durational Alimony
Durational alimony is a new category of alimony under the law. The purpose of this type of alimony is to provide a party with economic assistance for a set period of time following a marriage of short to moderate duration. The maximum amount of alimony a spouse can be awarded is for the number of years they were married. For example, if a spouse was married for eight years, he or she is entitled to a maximum of eight years of alimony.
Rehabilitative Alimony
This type of alimony is usually awarded when a spouse has been out of the workforce throughout the marriage and needs training or education to become self-supporting. This type of support is usually limited to four years and can include tuition expenses.
Bridge-the-Gap Alimony
Bridge-the-Gap alimony is a new type of alimony awarded to assist a party in making the transition from being married to being single. It is designed to assist a party with legitimate short-term needs and may not exceed 2 years.
Whether you need legal representation in your divorce to secure an award of alimony, or you need to modify your existing award, you can rely on Cheryl Bucker, P.A. for quality legal assistance.
