Alimony awards can have major impacts long after a couple’s divorce is finalized. One thing both alimony recipients and alimony payors may wonder is how modifiable alimony awards here in Florida are after they have been put in place.
How able a court is to modify an alimony award depends on the exact type of the award. Here in Florida, there are four main types of alimony: permanent alimony, durational alimony, rehabilitative alimony and bridge-the-gap alimony. Each type has its own set of rules regarding modifications.
Permanent alimony awards and rehabilitative alimony awards can be modified upon the presence of things like substantial circumstance changes.
Durational alimony has somewhat different rules. While these types of alimony awards can be modified in amount when substantial circumstance changes have occurred, modifications in the length of these awards can only be made when exceptional circumstances are present.
Bridge-the-gap alimony awards have the most restrictive modification rules of the four main alimony types. Neither modifications in award duration nor modifications in award amount are allowed for this kind of alimony award.
As a note, alimony award terminations have a different set of rules.
This discussion on modifications illustrates one of the ways that what specific type of alimony award is reached in alimony proceedings in a divorce can have major impacts in the future. Given how impactful alimony type can be, being aware of the different implications different types of alimony awards can have here in Florida can be very important when making decisions in relation to alimony proceedings. Divorce attorneys can provide divorcing individuals with guidance and advice on alimony issues, such as issues regarding alimony type.
