Do I have to pay alimony in a divorce in Florida?

In Florida, alimony is a multi-step process. First, what the court does is they look at the need of a party seeking alimony and the ability to pay of the other. Once they determine need and ability to pay, the court will then look at the length of the marriage. 0-7 years is a short-term marriage, 7-17 an immediate term marriage and 17 years and beyond is a long-term marriage. Which basically dictates the length of alimony that one is allowed to get. With the absence of exceptional circumstances, a court will only give up to duration alimony for a short-term marriage or an intermediate-term marriage, which means that it can go as long as the duration of the marriage. It can not exceed that. If you have questions about alimony, please call Butash Law Group, and we can walk you through the process as it pertains to your particular needs and your unique set of facts and circumstances.