Alimony reform has been a hot topic in Florida over the past year. It was one of the hottest topics during last year’s legislative session. A reform bill was passed but it was vetoed by the governor given fears that the new law would allow spouses to change existing settlements. It looks like, however, the issue will not go away as one representative plans to present it again with some scaled-back changes. Along with the proposed changes, the bill is expected to be presented soon.
Alimony, which is sometimes referred to as “spousal support,” is a monthly payment that is made by one spouse to a former spouse following the end of the marriage. Alimony is considered an equitable measure to correct for any economic imbalance created by the end of a marriage. It is designed to assist, for instance, a stay-at-home parent who might find that the parent is suddenly in need of an income when a marriage ends.
Typically, alimony will be awarded to a lower-earning, or non-earning, spouse. The higher earning spouse will either agree or, in some cases, be ordered by the court to make the alimony payments to the former spouse. Alimony can be based on a number of factors and the duration of an alimony award can vary. Alimony is one of many family law issues that can arise throughout the divorce process. Unfortunately, sometimes family legal issues lead to disputes which can delay the process and result in a more costly process.
Because the divorce process can involve many important considerations, including spousal support and alimony, as well as others, it can be helpful to have trained guidance throughout the process. An experienced family law attorney may help a party seek and resolve any alimony issues, as well as all other family legal issues associated with divorce.
Source: Weartv.com, “Alimony reform hot topic in this year’s legislature,” Jan. 10, 2014