Potential Changes to Alimony: New Legislation

Changing Florida’s alimony law has been debated intensely in the legislature in recent years. In fact, monumental legislation was passed by both the House and Senate early in 2013. House Bill 231 and Senate Bill 718 sought to drastically overhaul long-standing alimony laws, but were ultimately vetoed by Governor Rick Scott and not passed into law.

As an experienced Broward County divorce attorney, I stay up to date on all potential changes to Florida alimony laws and am always prepared to represent my clients regardless of their situations.

Please contact my Broward County family law office online today to schedule an initial consultation and to discuss any questions you have about Florida alimony law. You may also call my office directly at 954-474-9500 to learn more about my services.

Recent Discussions in the Legislature About Alimony Reform

As previously stated, the Florida House and Senate proposed major changes to Florida’s alimony law earlier this year. Those proposed changes included, among others:

• The parties’ standard of living would no longer be considered in determining alimony.
• Only marital sources of income and those sources of income relied upon during the marriage would be considered.
• The definition of a long-term marriage was increased from 17 years to 20 years. This could have impacted the rebuttable presumption in favor of alimony in marriages lasting 17 years to 19 years. Similarly, a mid-term marriage would have been increased from 7 years to 17 years to 10 years to 20 years in duration.
• The proposed changes would have been retroactive in alimony modifications.
• The 50 percent gross income cap would have been reduced to a maximum of 38 percent.
• It would become more difficult for the custodial parent to receive child support due to a proposed presumption that equal time with both parents is in a child’s best interests.

Why Is This Important?

Although these changes were not passed into law, everyone can be sure that alimony reform will be at the forefront of lawmakers’ minds for some time. If and when Florida’s alimony laws are reformed, it will have huge implications for the state’s population. Roughly 1 in 15 marriages do not last more than five years, and according to the Wall Street Journal, Florida has the eighth highest divorce rate in the nation.

At my law office, I am focused on keeping current with updates to Florida family law, which is why I have been certified by the Florida State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education as a family law specialist. This distinction is reserved to a select few attorneys who show dedication to their clients and who have given back to Florida’s family law community.

Contact a Divorce Agreement Modification Lawyer

Contact my Broward County alimony law office online today to schedule an initial consultation. You may also call my office at 954-474-9500 to discuss your current situation and learn more about my spousal support services.