The process of getting divorced in Florida can be an exhausting, expensive process, but the costs often continue years after the divorce is finalized. The court may decide you or your spouse must pay alimony to the other for a period of time following the divorce. We've previously talked about the types of alimony, but the more urgent question might be: will the court order YOU to pay? Let's look at some situations where alimony may be necessary.

Wage factors

This is a common situation. If you maintained a job and consistent wages in your relationship while the other spouse is either a stay-at-home parent or unable to work due to certain circumstances, it's likely the court will order you to pay alimony. Those payments can often be permanent, but if your spouse is capable of earning a wage but did not previously support themselves you may have to pay rehabilitative alimony.

The intention of alimony in this scenario isn't to fulfill every need previously fulfilled by your hard-earned money, but rather to allow your spouse to maintain a similar lifestyle as you transition post-divorce.

Housing factors

If you and your spouse own a home together, the decision on who keeps the home is one major determining factor for alimony. You may want to keep the house, but if you do you may need to pay alimony to your spouse to allow them to find and pay for housing now that they're on their own.

The same situation can apply if you owned the home prior to the marriage, and you are able to keep the home following the divorce. Even though you are the rightful owner of the property, your spouse's standard of living adjusted to living in the home with you. You may not be required to pay permanent alimony but other forms could be deemed necessary by the courts to allow your spouse to seek proper housing arrangements.

Employment factors

This is a rare case, but if you and your spouse either work together or for each other, alimony may be necessary if the work cannot amicably continue. Similar to wage factors above, if your spouse relied on you to pay income and that option is no longer available then alimony could be likely.

This also applies if you and your spouse worked together but the employment cannot continue post-divorce. If you maintain your position, you may ultimately be responsible for alimony at least until your spouse finds new employment.

Extramarital factors

We believe in the commitment of marriage, but we also know every relationship isn't perfect. That's okay, and sometimes you and your spouse no longer share the feelings you had early in your relationship. If you feel that way and seek comfort outside of your marriage, it could prove costly after your divorce.

If your spouse is able to prove you had extramarital affairs and you spent a fair amount of income and assets on other partners, you may now owe alimony to your spouse. The burden of proof will fall on your spouse, but it's an important factor to consider. The best avenue to prevent this may be to move to end your marriage before this becomes your reality.

Get the help you need

No matter your situation, it's important you have the right attorney by your side. At Florida Divorce Law Group, our experience stands out and could be the difference between you being buried in alimony payments or finding financial freedom after your divorce. Contact us today! We can help you gain the freedom and peace of mind you deserve.