Alimony & Spousal Support
Clarity, Advocacy, and Fair Financial Outcomes
Alimony decisions can shape your financial future long after a divorce is finalized, making thoughtful guidance essential. Saxey Law PLLC helps clients throughout Okaloosa County and the Emerald Coast—including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and surrounding communities—pursue spousal support arrangements that reflect fairness, financial realities, and long-term stability.
Understanding Alimony in Florida
How Florida Courts Approach Spousal Support
Alimony exists to reduce unfair financial hardship following divorce, particularly when one spouse made career sacrifices to support the household or family. Florida significantly reformed its alimony laws in 2023, eliminating permanent alimony and reshaping how long-term support is awarded. Today, courts may award bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational alimony depending on the circumstances of the marriage. Judges first assess the requesting spouse’s need and the other spouse’s ability to pay. Additional considerations include the length of the marriage, marital standard of living, health and age of each spouse, contributions to the marriage, and how marital assets are divided.
Advocating for a Fair Outcome
Building a Strong Case for Your Financial Future
Whether you are seeking spousal support or responding to a request, our firm develops a clear, evidence-based strategy tailored to your goals. For clients pursuing alimony, we present the full picture of career interruptions, caregiving responsibilities, and the time required to regain financial independence. For clients who may pay alimony, we ensure requests are reasonable and grounded in accurate financial data—not assumptions. We also address important tax considerations, including the fact that post-2019 alimony is no longer deductible for the payer or taxable to the recipient.
Key considerations include:
- Evidence of financial need and lifestyle during the marriage
- Ability of the other spouse to pay without hardship
- Career sacrifices or gaps in work history
- Age, health, and long-term earning capacity of each spouse
Modifying or Terminating Alimony
Adjusting Support When Life Circumstances Change
Florida law allows many types of alimony to be modified when there is a substantial, material change in circumstances, such as job loss, serious illness, or a significant shift in income. Bridge-the-gap alimony is not modifiable, and some agreements may be contractually non-modifiable. Alimony typically ends if the recipient remarries, and a supportive, financially intertwined cohabitation may also justify termination. We represent paying spouses seeking fair reductions or termination when circumstances genuinely change. We also protect recipients from improper modification attempts and pursue enforcement when payments fall behind.
Addressing Enforcement Issues
Ensuring Court-Ordered Support Is Paid
Failure to comply with an alimony order can place immediate strain on a recipient’s financial stability. Florida courts offer enforcement remedies including income deduction orders, contempt actions, and other court-imposed penalties. We help clients document missed payments, file enforcement motions, and act quickly to restore compliance. For clients accused of nonpayment, we address underlying financial issues and pursue modification when appropriate. Our goal is a fair, workable solution that protects long-term financial health.
Move Forward Financially
Protecting Your Stability After Divorce
Divorce should not leave either spouse facing financial uncertainty without a path forward. Our firm works to secure outcomes that reflect fairness, contribution, and each person’s ability to rebuild stability after divorce. We pursue negotiated solutions whenever possible while remaining fully prepared to litigate when necessary. Clients benefit from honest guidance, clear expectations, and steady advocacy at every stage. With the right legal support, your financial future can remain secure and manageable.
Frequently Asked Questions – Alimony
Answers to Common Spousal Support Concerns
How is alimony calculated in Florida?
Alimony is not determined by a strict formula the way child support is. Instead, judges weigh the requesting spouse’s financial need against the other spouse’s ability to pay. Courts review income, expenses, marriage length, lifestyle, and contributions to the household. We provide clients with realistic estimates by assessing these factors and applying current legal trends.
How long do I have to be married to receive alimony?
Marriage length plays a major role in determining the type and duration of support. Short marriages—under seven years—generally involve limited or transitional support if any is awarded. Moderate-length marriages may lead to rehabilitative or durational alimony depending on each spouse’s circumstances. Long marriages often justify longer durational support, particularly when earning capacities differ significantly.
Can men receive alimony?
Yes, alimony in Florida is gender-neutral. Courts evaluate financial need and ability to pay, not gender roles or outdated assumptions. If a husband earned less, stayed home with children, or sacrificed career opportunities, he may be entitled to support. We make sure the court focuses on facts, not stereotypes.
Does adultery affect alimony?
Adultery alone does not determine whether alimony is awarded. However, if marital funds were spent on an affair—such as gifts, hotels, or trips—the court may adjust the financial outcome. Judges consider whether the affair caused measurable financial harm to the innocent spouse. We help clients raise or rebut these issues based on evidence.
What if I retire and cannot continue paying alimony?
Retirement at a reasonable age, especially after a long career, may justify modifying or ending alimony. Courts examine whether retirement is voluntary, reasonable, and in good faith. A significant reduction in income can support a modification request if it impacts the payer’s ability to meet obligations. We help clients present retirement-related changes clearly and persuasively.