Temporary Alimony Awards

Financial stability is typically of the utmost concern for most divorcing couples. Often, the best way to ensure this is to seek alimony, of which there are four main types: durational, rehabilitative, bridge-the-gap, and permanent. These awards, however, are issued after divorce, leaving many spouses who are living apart during divorce, to question how they will make ends meet. Fortunately, Florida courts also award temporary alimony, which helps support a lesser earning spouse from the time of the divorce filing until the divorce decree is issued.

When is Temporary Alimony Awarded?

Some types of alimony are only available to couples whose marriage qualifies as long-term or moderate in length. Temporary alimony, however, can often be awarded even after the end of a short-term marriage. Whether such an award is issued depends not only on the financial need of a lesser earning spouse, but also on the other spouse’s ability to pay. Even if one spouse can prove need, for instance, a court won’t award temporary alimony if doing so would deprive the other spouse of the ability to support him or herself.

How is Temporary Alimony Calculated?

Temporary alimony awards depend largely on the spouses’ standard of living during the marriage. However, judges are also limited in how much they can award in temporary alimony, as they are not allowed to order temporary alimony that exceeds the documented need of the requesting spouse, regardless of the paying spouse’s wealth. Ultimately, Florida courts have pretty broad discretion when it comes to making temporary alimony awards. Still, they must be able to provide competent and substantial evidence to back up their decisions. This will include evidence of the parties’ incomes and expenses, as well as the couple’s standard of living during the marriage.

How Long Does Temporary Alimony Last?

As its name suggests, temporary spousal support isn’t supposed to last forever, but is a stop-gap measure during divorce proceedings. Temporary alimony awards are merged into a final divorce judgment, which means that they don’t continue once a divorce decree has been issued. It’s important for recipient spouses to have a thorough understanding of how long they can expect their awards to last and to take steps to obtain continued financial support in the divorce decree if necessary. An experienced attorney can make all the difference in helping a lesser earning spouse obtain financial stability upon divorce through receipt of alimony payments, whether temporary or more long-term.

Reach Out to Our Dedicated Team of Clearwater Alimony Lawyers

If you think that you may need temporary spousal support during your divorce, or if your own partner is attempting to request financial support that you cannot provide, you may need a knowledgeable attorney in your corner. Get in contact with the experienced Clearwater alimony lawyers at Cairns Law to learn more about how we can help. You can set up an initial consultation with a member of our legal team by calling 727-683-1472 or by sending us an online message. We are available for both evening and weekend appointments.

Sources:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0061/Sections/0061.08.html

flcourts.org/content/download/403173/file/947a.pdf