How Long will I have to pay alimony?
Though you may have felt that your marriage lasted an eternity, the court is reluctant to give high alimony awards to short marriages.
Behind need, and ability to pay, the duration of the marriage is most important factor the court will look at in determining alimony.
The Florida statute lays out the lengths of a marriage into short-term, moderate-term and long-term.
In Florida, AFTER the court determines there is a need, and the other spouse is able to pay, they will make a presumption based on the length of the marriage:
Short-term: 0-7 years
Presumption: asking spouse will not be awarded permanent alimony
Moderate-term: 7-17 years
Presumption: no presumption, and the court will look at the other factors to determine if permanent alimony is appropriate
Long-term: 17+ years
Presumption: asking spouse will be awarded permanent alimony – burden is now on the paying spouse
