Author Archives: family-divorce-attorney

Effective July 1, 2023 significant changes to alimony laws in Florida have been made.

For purposes of determining alimony, there is a rebuttable presumption that a short-term marriage is a marriage having a duration of less than 10 years, a moderate-term marriage is a marriage having a duration between 10 and 20 years, and a long-term marriage is a marriage having a duration of 20 years or longer. The length of a marriage is the period of time from the date of marriage until the date of filing of an action for dissolution of marriage.

Durational alimony may be awarded to provide a party with economic assistance for a set period of time.

Durational alimony may not be awarded following a marriage lasting less than 3 years.

An award of durational alimony may not exceed 50 percent of the length of a short-term marriage (less than 10 years), 60 percent of the length of a moderate-term marriage (between 10 and 20 years), or 75 percent of the length of a long-term marriage (20 years or longer).

Under exceptional circumstances, the court may extend the term of durational alimony by a showing of clear and convincing evidence that it is necessary.

To schedule an alimony consultation with Board Certified Expert in Marital and Family Law in Tampa, Gary S. Dolgin, please call (813) 999-2772, and it will be our pleasure to help you.

Learn more about alimony by visiting:
Tampa Alimony Attorney – Gary S. Dolgin

Effective July 1, 2023, permanent alimony is no longer awarded in the State of Florida.

Judges in Florida no longer have the authority to award permanent periodic alimony.

Permanent alimony that was agreed upon or ordered by a judge and awarded prior to July 1, 2023 remains in full force and is unaffected by the new alimony laws.

The court shall make written findings of fact regarding the basis for awarding a form or any combination of forms of alimony, including the type of alimony and the length of time for which the alimony is awarded.

The court may award a combination of forms of alimony or forms of payment, including lump sum payments, to provide greater economic assistance in order to allow the obligee to achieve self-support.

Here at The Law Offices of Gary S. Dolgin, we will put our knowledge and 32 years of experience to work for you, whether you are seeking alimony or defending a claim against alimony.

Being Board Certified in Marital and Family Law as well as being a Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator sets Gary Dolgin apart. He will put his expertise to work for you and advocate for the best possible result in your alimony case.

To schedule an alimony consultation with Board Certified Expert in Marital and Family Law in Tampa, Gary S. Dolgin, please call (813) 999-2772, and it will be our pleasure to help you.

Learn more about alimony by visiting:
Alimony Attorney Tampa – Gary S. Dolgin

The court may terminate an alimony award upon “specific written findings” that a “supportive relationship” exists between the recipient spouse and the person with whom the recipient spouse resides and to whom the recipient spouse is not related.

It is the payor spouse’s burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that a supportive relationship exists.

Previously, it was generally improper for the court to terminate alimony if the recipient spouse was cohabiting with another person, Buscemi v. Buscemi, 610 So.2d 674 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992), although the court could enforce an agreement that contained a cohabitation clause, Robinson v Robinson, 788 So.2d 1092 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001).

Here at The Law Offices of Gary S. Dolgin, we will put our knowledge and 30 years of experience to work for you, whether you are seeking alimony or defending a claim against alimony.

Being Board Certified in Marital and Family Law as well as being a Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator sets Gary Dolgin apart. He will put his expertise to work for you and advocate for the best possible result in your alimony case.

To schedule an alimony consultation with Board Certified Expert in Marital and Family Law in Tampa, Gary S. Dolgin, please call (813) 999-2772, and it will be our pleasure to help you.

Learn more about alimony by visiting:
Alimony Lawyer Tampa – Gary S. Dolgin