Alimony and Spousal Support Lawyers / Attorneys in Naples, Florida

A spouse requesting alimony may also have an obligation to obtain employment, even if he or she has not previously worked during the marriage. This circumstance arises in cases where one spouse was the sole source of income during the marriage.
But that same spouse cannot afford to pay the expenses for two separate households, so there’s a need for the spouse requesting alimony to contribute by becoming gainfully employed. Our spousal support attorneys in Naples are well-versed on a variety of tax issues that affect the determination of income which directly impacts alimony and the amount to be paid. This knowledge allows the alimony and spousal support lawyers at Long & Associates to effectively work with your accountant and financial advisor to successfully craft a reasonable alimony figure.

Types of Alimony

Our alimony and spousal support lawyers in Naples have assisted divorce clients in achieving all of the four types of alimony:  Bridge-The-Gap, Rehabilitative, Durational, and Permanent.

1. Bridge the Gap is non-modifiable alimony awarded to assist a spouse to adjust to living on his or her own as a single person or parent. It may be awarded in marriages of short duration and its term cannot exceed two years.
2. Rehabilitative Alimony is support paid to a spouse so that he or she can complete his or her education or training if it was interrupted by the marriage, or obtain a degree or certification so as to assist him or her to become self-supporting. Rehabilitative alimony may also include the cost of the education or training.
3. Durational Alimony is often applied to marriages of 7 to 17 years of duration. The support obligation can last up to the duration of the marriage, pursuant to the statute. The duration is not modifiable, but the amount can be. The purpose of Durational Alimony is to provide financial assistance to a spouse, not to meet a “lifestyle” that he or she may have enjoyed during the marriage.
4. Permanent Alimony is for marriages lasting longer than 17 years and its purpose is to meet the needs and necessities of life as established during the marriage. While this is commonly where spouses request that they have all of their expenses paid, case law suggests that “not every expense” may necessarily be included in calculating the amount of alimony. Permanent alimony also is awarded in certain circumstances where a party is considered unable to work due to a debilitating physical or cognitive condition that prevents them from being able to obtain employment.