While based on a relatively simple concept, alimony can be an unpredictable part of divorce proceedings. To shed more light on what matters may be involved in alimony, let’s consider a fictitious Tampa, Florida couple named Joe and Grace. Joe and Grace have been financially comfortable during their 20 years of marriage, mainly thanks to Grace’s annual salary as a doctor exceeding $500,000 per year. Joe also has a career, but he put his career on hold to care for the couple’s three young adopted children. Joe and Grace live in a large home in north Tampa, and even though they seem to be a successful couple, they have decided that they want to go their separate ways and divorce. Since Grace has been the main breadwinner during the marriage, it is possible that a judge would require Grace to pay alimony to Joe for months or years after the divorce is filed, especially if Joe will continue to be the parent who is mainly responsible for child care.

As seen in the example above, alimony, also known as spousal support, occurs when one spouse financially supports the other spouse for a period of time after the couple separates. Since there is no legal definition of separation in Florida, the possibility of alimony typically is not investigated until after a divorce lawsuit has been filed. It is also important to note that alimony does not have to be demanded by an alimony attorney or ordered by a judge. Alimony may be paid voluntarily from one spouse to another because of a mutually beneficial, legal agreement between both spouses. As a matter of fact, some couples have found that alimony allows certain income tax breaks which actually save money in the long run.

Unlike child support, very few legal standards for alimony exist in Florida. What this fact means is, while Florida law provides specific guidelines about child support payments, there are not many guidelines to spell out the circumstances in which alimony should be awarded or how much alimony should be paid. Because of these uncertainties, anyone with questions about alimony in the Tampa Bay area is strongly encouraged to consult with divorce and alimony attorneys immediately.

Each Tampa alimony attorney from Maney | Gordon, P.A. has decades of experience in the possible factors that family law courts will consider before awarding alimony payments. Some of these factors include:

• How long the couple has been married
• The lifestyle and standard of living during the marriage
• A spouse’s ability to pay alimony
• A spouse’s need to receive alimony
• A spouse’s lack of marketable skills
• Whether one spouse was disabled during the marriage
• Whether one spouse has been unemployed because he or she cares for the couple’s children or otherwise benefits the marriage

Whether you need alimony in Clearwater, Florida or are being asked to pay alimony in St Petersburg, please contact a Tampa Bay divorce and alimony attorney who has the experience and knowledge necessary to build a strong case in support of your objectives. If there are children involved in the divorce, it is also important to keep in mind that alimony payments could reduce the amount of money owed in child support payments.

Please contact a Tampa alimony attorney at Maney | Gordon today to learn more about alimony and any other family law issues you wish to inquire about.