Alimony Changes Could Be Coming for Florida Divorce Cases in 2020

Potential changes could be coming to Florida’s alimony laws after the January 2020 legislative session in the state. If you are considering filing for divorce next year, understanding how legislative changes may affect your divorce case are critical. If you would like to learn more about your legal options for a Florida divorce, call or contact the law office of Blair H. Chan, III to schedule a consultation with a skilled Tampa divorce lawyer.

The Fight Over Permanent Alimony

The Florida Family Fairness group that first pushed for changes to the state’s alimony laws back in 2016 has hired multiple lobbyists to push for changes to the Florida alimony law in 2020. Specifically, the group is looking for the state law to eliminate the option of permanent alimony for couples who go through a divorce. The opposing side, which is mainly comprised of the Florida Bar Family Law Section, has also solicited lobbyists to oppose the new proposed changes to the current alimony law.

The last time that Florida alimony laws were brought forward was in 2016, when a group proposed a law that would calculate alimony based on the length of the marriage and the incomes of each spouse. This proposal would have eliminated permanent alimony from state law while still giving judges some discretion to veer from the stated formula in certain circumstances. However, that proposal was ultimately vetoed by the governor when an amendment to the bill included a child-sharing component that would require the court to assume the premise in every divorce case that the child should split time equally between parents and force the parents in the case to prove otherwise.

Current Florida Alimony Law

At present, Florida law allows for four different types of alimony payments between spouses during and after divorce proceedings: bridge-the-gap, durational, rehabilitative, and permanent alimony. Bridge-the-gap alimony helps one spouse transition to single life and a single income for up to two years after a divorce. Durational alimony sets payments for a specific set of time or until a triggering event occurs. Rehabilitative alimony helps one spouse pay for education or training to help reenter the working world, and permanent alimony is paid indefinitely until one spouse dies or the spouse receiving payments remarries. To learn more about your options for paying or receiving alimony payments in your divorce case, talk to an experienced Florida divorce attorney today.

Let Us Help You Today

With possible changes coming to Florida divorce laws, it is critical that you secure the legal services of a Florida divorce attorney that is up to date on all recent legislation and will fight to ensure that you walk away from your marriage with everything that you deserve. To talk to a Florida divorce law professional about your case, call the office or contact us in Tampa Bay at the law office of Blair H. Chan, III now.

Resource:

sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-nsf-alimony-reform-20191025-ye4ckz5zr5ehxdxajj7nldwcvy-story.html

https://www.bchanlaw.com/what-type-of-alimony-is-right-for-your-divorce/