What Are The Different Types of Alimony?

Florida uses four main alimony tools. One size does not fit all, so it helps to know which tool matches your facts and how each one fits into an overall strategy.

What Are the Different Types of Alimony in Florida?

In most Florida divorce cases involving support, the court will look at four primary forms of alimony. Each serves a different purpose and applies to different situations.

Temporary Alimony

When it applies: While the divorce is pending.

Purpose: Keeps bills paid during the case.

How to get it: Motion to the court, supported by income and expense proofs.

Bridge the Gap Alimony

When it applies: Short transition from married life to single life.

Purpose: Covers immediate and identifiable needs after divorce, such as deposits, moving costs, or setting up a household.

Duration: Very short term, fixed, nonmodifiable in length.

Rehabilitative Alimony

When it applies: A spouse has a realistic plan to regain self sufficiency.

Purpose: Funds education or training tied to a concrete rehabilitation plan.

Key requirement: A specific and credible plan with timelines and costs.

Durational Alimony

When it applies: The most common ongoing support after 2023.

Purpose: Provides support for a set period based on the length of the marriage.

Limits: 50, 60, or 70 percent duration caps by marriage length and 35 percent of net income difference cap for the monthly maximum.

Why Most Cases Focus on Durational Alimony

If your marriage is longer than three years, durational alimony is usually the main route. The other forms still matter, especially in shorter marriages or when education and training can quickly restore earning power.

How I Build an Alimony Strategy

In every case, the goal is to match the facts to the right tools and stay within statutory ceilings while protecting long-term cash flow. My typical process looks like this:

• Start with a realistic budget.
• Run the statutory calculation for ceilings.
• Stress test a rehabilitative plan if it exists.
• Consider tax posture and cash flow.
• Negotiate below the ceiling with clear give and take.