Alimony

Lawyer and CPA for the Price of One. Paying & Receiving Alimony After Divorce in Florida

One of the only law firms in the State of Florida that has a forensic accountant and CPA working on your matter at the law firm!  No additional in house fee. It is standard that we dive deep into the parties finances to prepare equitable division schedules, alimony grids, child support guidelines for concrete support in our negotiations and exhibits that cannot be refuted. Karmeris Family Law represents individuals who are seeking alimony or spousal support pursuant to divorce, as well as those who are contesting it. A forensic for testimony by a third party, will require an additional outside fee. 

Florida Alimony Laws

As a standard, we prepare charts and summaries to disect reasonable expenses and income, depending on the party we represent. This is essential in demanding addressing alimony with the court. This is not standard in other law firms who do not have an accountant or CPA in house. Once a court decides equitable distribution, it may consider an alimony award for either the husband or the wife. There are four types of alimony awards in Florida:

• Rehabilitative Alimony – Rehabilitative support may be for a limited period of time to assist in redeveloping skills and financial independence. Parties requesting rehabilitative alimony must have a plan for their rehabilitation, such as the cost of going to school to improve skills and marketability.
• Bridge-the-Gap Alimony – Bridge-the-gap support allows a party to make the transition from married to single life, which may include the need to obtain a vehicle and/or money to find a new home.
• Permanent Alimony – Permanent support continues until the receiving spouse’s remarriage or the death of either party.
• Durational Alimony – Durational support is ordered for a certain period of time.

Rehabilitative, permanent and durational alimony generally are paid periodically (monthly or semi-monthly), while bridge-the-gap support can be paid in a lump sum at one time, or may be paid over a very short period of time.

How Florida Courts Determine the Appropriate Type of Alimony Award

When awarding alimony, courts consider the following factors along with any other factors necessary to create a fair spousal support arrangement between the divorcing spouses:

• The length of the marriage
• The parties prior standard of living
• The age and physical and emotional condition of both spouses
• Each spouse’s financial resources and income-producing capacity of the assets they receive
• The time necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to find appropriate employment
• The services rendered in homemaking, child rearing and education, and career building of the other spouse