Alimony and Spousal Support in Florida

Alimony, also called spousal support, is money that one spouse may be ordered to pay the other after a divorce. The goal is to address a difference in financial circumstances that arises when a marriage ends. Alimony is not automatic. A court looks at the specific facts of the marriage before deciding whether support is appropriate.

Florida recognizes more than one form of alimony, and the type that fits a case depends on the situation. A local family law firm in Miami-Dade can explain which forms might apply to your circumstances.

As of 2026, the forms of alimony in Florida are temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, and durational, under Florida Statutes section 61.08 as amended by SB 1416 (effective July 1, 2023). Permanent, lifetime alimony has been eliminated. Bridge-the-gap alimony may not exceed 2 years and rehabilitative alimony may not exceed 5 years, while durational alimony carries its own duration and amount limits tied to the length of the marriage.

When a court considers alimony, it generally weighs factors such as the length of the marriage, the financial resources of each spouse, and the standard of living during the marriage. One spouse usually needs to show a financial need, and the other needs to have the ability to pay. The amount and duration are shaped by these considerations rather than by a single fixed formula.

Alimony can also be revisited later when circumstances change in a meaningful way, such as a significant change in income. To see how support fits into the larger process, see our guide to how divorce works in Florida.

Under Florida Statutes section 61.08, the court must first make specific findings on the requesting spouse’s actual need and the other spouse’s ability to pay, and the spouse seeking support carries that burden. The statute also groups marriages as short-term (less than 10 years), moderate-term (10 to 20 years), and long-term (20 years or more), which affects the type and length of support. An award can later be modified when circumstances change in a significant way.

The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your own case, speak with a licensed Florida attorney.