What is Alimony And Who Qualifies For It In Tampa, FL

Alimony is a court-ordered payment one spouse pays to the other for financial support after a divorce or legal separation. In Tampa, FL, it may be awarded if requested by either of the spouses and approved by the court. If approved, the paying spouse needs to make regular payments in accordance with the court order.

Some of the factors a judge takes into consideration when determining alimony eligibility are income levels of both spouses, age and health, duration of marriage, standard of living during marriage, education and career experience levels of each spouse, unique contributions made by each spouse during marriage, etc.

Ultimately though it is up to the discretion of the court whether or not to grant alimony as well as how much and for how long it should be paid.

Types of Alimony Available in Florida

It is an important component of Florida divorce proceedings. Depending on the situation and the specifics of a couple’s relationship, there are several types of alimony available in the state.

Permanent alimony is designed to assist a less-wealthy ex-spouse after divorce in maintaining the lifestyle they had grown accustomed to during marriage.

Bridge-the-gap alimony, meanwhile, provides short-term assistance and grants money for specific purposes such as school fees or starting a new business.

Rehabilitative alimony, another type of assistance available in Florida, gives a spouse enough money to acquire job skills or complete an education that can lead to job independence.

In addition, durational alimony which lasts for a specified period not exceeding the length of the marriage is possible under certain circumstances.

When it comes to determining what types are applicable in any given situation, consulting with both parties’ attorneys will shed light on which option would work best for all involved.

Alimony Attorney in Tampa serving all of Hillsborough County and surrounding communities

Tampa alimony lawyerIn Florida, the court has fairly broad discretion to award various types of alimony to either a husband or a wife when there is a need and an ability to pay or as required to do “equity and justice” between the parties.

Working with Buchholz Family Law can help you to ensure that you are aware of your options and that the court is made aware of all factors relevant to an award of alimony.

Call our office today 813-902-9100 or complete the contact form below to schedule a free consultation appointment.