Alimony isn’t automatic and it isn’t ordered in every divorce. Florida law provides that in order to award alimony, there must be a determination that one spouse/partner has a need for maintenance and the other has the ability to pay.
The concept of alimony developed during a time when it was common for one spouse to work full-time while the other stayed home to raise the couple’s family or care for the household. While it’s more common today for both spouses to earn a paycheck, alimony is still an option for either spouse to ensure that no one is left destitute or in need of state assistance after the divorce.
But, just like families, alimony comes in different forms.