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Helping Clients Get a Fair Settlement
One of the most disconcerting aspects of divorce is not knowing what your financial future will be. In many marriages, one spouse has a higher earning capacity than the other, making it impossible for the lower-income spouse to maintain the standard of living they enjoyed during the marriage. In these cases, one spouse may owe spousal maintenance or alimony. A court order can mandate alimony payments if the two spouses cannot agree on this issue.
A spousal support attorney is critical in ensuring your financial changes don’t affect your standard of living after your divorce. Whether you are a spouse who needs spousal support because of illness, not working, raising the children, or a lack of education, or if you are a paying spouse who needs an alimony attorney to watch out for your interests, you can benefit from the legal counsel and representation of the attorneys at The Law Firm of Gil Colón, Jr.
Our skilled alimony lawyers have decades of experience helping with alimony payment calculation and ensuring each spouse is treated fairly. Call 863-622-9602 today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you.
What Is Alimony?
Alimony refers to one spouse making payments to their ex other than child support. Decisions regarding alimony are frequently contentious, leading to extensive legal battles that drain a couple’s resources and put unneeded stress on the ex-husband and ex-wife. Your family law attorney can explain what type of alimony you should seek and can help you reach a decision to minimize the time and money spent resolving this issue.
Some types of alimony that many couples use in Florida include:
- Temporary alimony, which provides temporary relief during the divorce proceedings
- Durational alimony, which lasts for a set period
- Rehabilitative alimony, which allows a spouse time to reestablish their career, including getting further education
- Bridge-the-gap alimony, which may not exceed two years
- Permanent alimony, which can help a spouse who is unable to provide for themselves to maintain the standard of living they enjoyed during the marriage
- Lump Sum Alimony
How Are Spousal Support Decisions Made in Florida?
Many items could influence whether a spouse is awarded temporary alimony, permanent spousal maintenance, or no spousal support. Some factors that could affect an alimony case include:
- Length of the marriage
- Amount of income each spouse is capable of earning
- Whether one spouse spent significant marital funds on an adulterous relationship
- Which spouse is the custodial parent
- Whether domestic violence occurred during the marriage
- The ability of each spouse to be self-supporting
- Remarriage of either spouse
- And other factors
The couple will have the opportunity to decide on temporary maintenance or permanent alimony payments. If they reach an agreement, they can move forward with the spousal support payment. However, the matter could come before a judge who will review the above information to make a maintenance award. Having a skilled attorney on your side can help ensure your former spouse doesn’t take advantage of you, leaving you without the funds you need for your future.
Is Mediation an Option for Polk County Alimony Decisions?
Mediation can be a beneficial technique when reaching decisions in any divorce matter, including the spousal maintenance payment. Mediation often leads to more amicable feelings during and after the divorce, which is much healthier for everyone involved. Mediation also allows the couple to maintain control over the decision rather than leaving it up to the judge to decide. However, the results of mediation are not legally binding.
A spousal support lawyer can help when negotiating the terms of your alimony agreement and will fight for your best interests. To learn more about whether mediation is suitable for your alimony issues, reach out to our skilled legal team right away.
Should You Hire Our Alimony Attorneys?
Of the many crucial decisions involved in divorce, such as the division of marital property and parental obligations, one of the most important issues is alimony. As a divorcing spouse, if you lack higher education or the skills to provide for yourself, you could be eligible for either temporary spousal support or permanent alimony payments.
If your ex-spouse is seeking alimony, you should protect your income by hiring a family law attorney who will fight for your interests. Call our law office today to schedule a consultation where you can speak with our compassionate legal team about your needs and goals. You can reach us at 863-622-9602.