Panama City Beach Alimony Lawyers

Rely on Experienced & Knowledgeable Legal Representation

Before you legally part ways, you and your spouse need to make many important decisions regarding child custody, child support, asset division, and, of course, alimony. These decisions can have a lasting impact on your financial stability and quality of life. Fortunately, you can safeguard your future by hiring an experienced attorney who can represent your case and protect you from making unfavorable concessions.

At The Virga Law Firm, P.A., our Panama City Beach alimony lawyers have a comprehensive understanding of state laws and the divorce process. Whether you’re negotiating the terms of a divorce settlement agreement or modifying an existing court order, we have the skills and resources to help you secure a beneficial case result.

Contact our Panama City Beach alimony lawyers at (800) 822-5170 to learn about your spousal maintenance options.

The Purpose of Alimony

The court may issue a bridge-the-gap, durational, or rehabilitative alimony order to provide essential financial support to a lower-earning spouse. These payments are calculated according to Florida state laws and can be paid in monthly installments or as a lumpsum amount.

The court evaluates the following concerns before deciding to award alimony:

• The financial resources of both spouses
• The present and future earning capacities of both spouses
• Each spouse’s age, physical condition, and mental health
• The couple’s standard of living during the marriage
• The duration of the marriage
• Which spouse is primarily caring for any shared children
• The contributions each party made to the marriage

Alimony is intended to help a former spouse transition to single life and a single income. For example, if one spouse is a homemaker without an available source of income, the court may be inclined to issue an alimony order. These payments can help the former spouse pursue a new career or educational opportunities.

Alimony can be terminated or modified under the following conditions:

• The receiving ex remarries
• The receiving ex begins living with a new romantic partner
• The paying spouse faces a lasting change in circumstances
• One spouse dies

Both the receiving and the paying party can request alimony modifications. Of course, this doesn’t mean that exes can demand more money or stop providing payments. If your alimony order is no longer reasonable, contact the Panama City Beach alimony lawyers at The Virga Law Firm, P.A. We can evaluate your circumstances, collect evidence, and develop an effective argument that can be presented in court. If your case is successful, the court may agree to modify or terminate your existing order.

Legal Updates to Florida Alimony in 2023

The law is always changing and updating to meet the needs of the people bound by it. In Florida, such changes were made in 2023 regarding divorce and alimony. The changes apply to any divorces filed now, or any divorces that were pending before or on July 1, 2023.

The important Florida alimony law changes in 2023 cover a variety of subjects, such as:

• Permanent alimony elimination: Florida family law courts will no longer approve permanent alimony arrangements, no matter how long a marriage lasted or how dependent one spouse was on the income of the other.
• Supportive relationship changes: If the recipient spouse enters a new supportive relationship, and the paying spouse can prove as much, the court must end or reduce the alimony agreement. The recipient spouse can try to stop the termination or reduction of alimony if they can show proof that they would fall into undue hardship with such a change.
• Limited rehabilitative alimony: Rehabilitative alimony can’t last longer than 5 years.
• Durational alimony changes: Durational alimony can’t apply to a marriage that doesn’t last at least 3 years. The amount of alimony in a durational alimony agreement is limited to the “reasonable need” of the recipient spouse or 35% of the difference between the net incomes of the spouses, whichever amount is less. The court can consider child support amounts and who pays them when calculating the net income of the spouses.
  • Marriage lengths: For durational alimony arrangements, a short-term marriage is considered to have lasted 10 years or less; a moderate-term marriage is considered to have lasted between 10 to 20 years; and a long-term marriage is considered to have lasted 20 years or more.
• Life insurance benefits: If the paying spouse needs to use a life insurance plan to meet alimony obligations, the court requires “specific” proof that shows why the policy and benefits were necessary.

Schedule a Consultation & Explore Your Legal Options

At The Virga Law Firm, P.A., we understand that it can be difficult for spouses to negotiate hotly contested matters like alimony. Fortunately, our legal team is comprised of skilled and experienced divorce attorneys who can safeguard your interests. If you want to protect your standard of living, contact our Panama City Beach alimony attorneys today.

Rely on our 100+ years of legal experience! Schedule a consultation today.