Alimony and Spousal Maintenance in Orlando Florida

Orlando FL Divorce Lawyers – Family Law Attorneys

A few decades ago the family dynamic was much different than it is today and this impacted divorce proceedings and the way that they were viewed from a legal perspective. Even for middle class families only one income was needed to prosper, so the wife did not have to pursue a career unless she really wanted to do so. In most cases she would stay at home and care for the children while her husband acted as the primary breadwinner. In cases when the couple decided to get a divorce the woman was usually not in a financial position to be self supporting, so an alimony payment from her husband to provide for her needs was typically one of the divorce terms.

Today alimony is alternately referred to as spousal maintenance or spousal support, and it is still sometimes called for in cases when one party stayed at home while the other advanced along a career path, but this scenario is no longer a virtual given. Spousal support laws can be found in Chapter 60 of the Florida Statutes, and the law clearly states that not all divorces call for a spousal support payment.

It should be noted that a divorcing couple can agree to a spousal support arrangement privately of course, but if the individuals involved disagree about the matter it can be brought before the court. Should the court be asked to hear such an action factors that it will take into consideration include the length of the marriage, the age of the parties involved, their respective individual financial capabilities, and the non-monetary contributions that were made during the marriage by the potential dependent spouse. Though Florida is a no-fault divorce state and one cannot file for divorce on the ground of adultery, the court can take the adulterous actions of either party into consideration when making a spousal maintenance decision.

For more information about alimony and spousal maintenance, get in touch with an Orlando FL family lawyer to arrange for a free consultation.