The fight over alimony is typically one of the most contentious in any divorce. Many men in Florida grow angry over “permanent alimony” to the point where the Florida legislature has seen bills come through that aim to do away with permanent alimony and drastically limit the amount of money a spouse receives after a divorce.
The divorce process is confusing enough as is. As a result, numerous myths and misconceptions have come up surrounding alimony over the years. These are some of the biggest misconceptions that persist. With the proper knowledge, you can go into your divorce knowing precisely what you need to do.
Men pay alimony for life
The common line of thinking is that men must pay their ex-wives alimony for the rest of their lives. Neither of these is true. While it may have been true in the past when the men worked and the wives stayed at home, many wives today earn more money than their husbands. It is completely possible that a woman would need to pay the ex-husband money. Additionally, most courts only establish alimony for a limited time. It is rare for someone to receive lifetime payments, and it typically applies to ex-spouses who have high medical bills. Temporary alimony is the norm, and during that time, the person should seek education or training to become self-sufficient in the near future.
Alimony is a punishment
The goal of alimony is not to punish one party while rewarding the other. Instead, the court designed it to make sure both parties exit the marriage on somewhat equal footing. In circumstances where both parties make roughly the same amount of money, there may not even be an alimony award at all. The court aims to ensure the spouse paying alimony can afford a manageable lifestyle. Anyone concerned about the allocation of alimony should enter a marriage with a prenuptial agreement to lay out the exact terms ahead of time.
