Tampa Alimony Attorney

I WORK HARD TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS.

Effective Defense from an AV Preeminent* Rated Former Prosecutor with more than 25 Years of Experience

Tampa Alimony Attorney

I WORK HARD TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS.

Effective Defense from an AV Preeminent* Rated Former Prosecutor with more than 25 Years of Experience

Alimony was once very common in most divorces in Florida. However, over the past several decades, judges only consider awarding spousal maintenance when it is clear that the divorce will result in a clear financial disadvantage for one of the parties, usually in cases of long-term marriages.

As a Tampa alimony attorney, I can help protect your best interests through a divorce. With the changing landscape of alimony laws in Florida, having an experienced attorney by your side is crucial to navigate these complex legal waters.

2023 FLORIDA ALIMONY REFORM BILL

On June 30, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that applies to all petitions for dissolution of marriage that are filed or pending from July 1, 2023, onward.

The bill significantly impacts Florida alimony laws in the following ways:

  • Permanent alimony has been replaced with a process that allows ex-spouses making alimony payments to seek modifications when they want to retire.
  • Judges will now have the authority to reduce or terminate alimony payments after considering factors like the payer’s age, occupation’s customary retirement age, economic impact on the recipient, and the motivation and likelihood of the payer returning to work.
  • Rehabilitative alimony now has a 5-year limit

With permanent alimony removed, Florida has 4 types of alimony—temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative and durational.

Temporary Alimony

In some marriages of brief duration (less than 10 years), one party may demonstrate financial hardship in securing a place to reside or employment because of lack of job skills. In such cases, temporary spousal support may be awarded, allowing the party to remain in the house for a pre-determined period of time or receive alimony while attending training or college required to find employment.

Bridge-the-Gap Alimony 

As the name suggests, bridge-the-gap alimony is a short-term alimony designed to “bridge the gap” between married life and single life. This type of alimony is common in short-term marriages (less than 10 years). 

Due to the short-term nature of bridge-the-gap alimony, modification is typically not permitted.

Rehabilitative Alimony 

In Florida, rehabilitative alimony is designed to provide support to a spouse until they are able to be self-sufficient. This type of alimony is planned around the time and cost associated with a spouse redeveloping skills, acquiring credentials, or receiving training needed to secure employment and become financially stable.

To receive rehabilitative alimony, the party seeking it must be able to show that the marriage hindered their earning capacity in some way. 

Durational Alimony

Durational alimony provides a spouse with financial assistance for a set period of time, and may not be awarded following a marriage lasting less than 3 years. 

According to the most recent 2023 Florida Statutes, an award of durational alimony “may not exceed 50 percent of the length of a short-term marriage, 60 percent of the length of a moderate-term marriage, or 75 percent of the length of a long-term marriage.” 

In Florida, a short-term marriage is one that lasts for fewer than 7 years. A moderate-term marriage lasts anywhere between 7-17 years, and a long-term marriage is anything longer than 17 years. So, based Florida’s durational alimony laws outlined above, a marriage lasting 10 years would not be able to exceed 6 years of durational alimony. 

While it is possible for the court to extend the term of durational alimony, the party seeking alimony will need to provide significant evidence that it is necessary to do so. 

QUESTIONS? ASK TAMPA ALIMONY ATTORNEY MIKE G LAW

I am a civil and criminal litigation lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in courts throughout the Tampa Bay area. I understand the court process and strategies for protecting your rights in divorce and family law matters.

If you reside in the Tampa Bay area and alimony is likely to be an important factor in your pending divorce, make sure you protect your rights and financial interests. Call me, Tampa alimony attorney Michael Celso Gonzalez, at 813-221-4303 or contact my office by email with a brief description of your legal concerns. I offer a free consultation to explain your options.

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I would do more than 5 stars if it was available. Mr. Gonzalez was outstanding. Told everything how it was, very responsive to call and email. Fought very hard to get my husband the outcome he received. If We were to ever need a attorney in Florida again, We would use him as many times as We needed. We highly recommend to anyone looking for an awesome attorney to go with Mike G Law!!! He gets to the point!!!

Ashley F.

I cannot recommend Mr Gonzalez enough. He is extremely professional as is his entire firm. Mr Gonzalez has been very knowledgeable and forthcoming throughout the entire legal process. I highly recommend him and a definite five star!

Bonnie B.

Mike G. is a great attorney. Very professional, very punctual, easy to talk to. Thanks to him my case was dismissed charges dropped.

Eric G.