Did Florida eliminate permanent alimony?

Yes. Florida SB 1416 (effective July 1, 2023) eliminated permanent alimony for divorces filed after that date. Existing orders remain valid. Durational alimony is now capped at 75% of marriage length for long marriages.

What is bridge-the-gap alimony in Florida?

Bridge-the-gap alimony is short-term transition support, maximum 2 years, covering identifiable needs like housing deposits or moving costs. It cannot be modified once ordered and terminates on remarriage or death.

How does Florida's 2023 alimony reform affect existing orders?

Existing permanent alimony orders entered before July 1, 2023 remain valid. The reform changed modification standards and created new grounds for payors to reduce support upon reaching normal retirement age.

What is rehabilitative alimony in Florida?

Rehabilitative alimony supports education or career re-entry. The recipient must file a specific rehabilitation plan with the court. Failure to follow the plan is grounds for termination. It can be modified if circumstances change.

Does cohabitation affect Florida alimony?

Under the 2023 reform, cohabitation creates a rebuttable presumption that alimony should be reduced or terminated. Courts consider shared finances, shared residence, and mutual support when evaluating a supportive relationship.

Florida Alimony Calculator

Estimate Florida alimony under the post-2023 SB 1416 reform — no permanent alimony, durational caps of 25–75% of marriage length.

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Higher Earner Income(annual gross)

Lower Earner Income(annual gross)

Marriage Length

years

SB 1416 (effective July 1, 2023): Florida eliminated permanent alimony. Durational alimony is now capped at 75% of marriage length for long marriages. Courts presume equal timesharing. This calculator reflects post-reform rules.

Bridge-the-Gap Alimony (FL)

$2,000/mo

Maximum Duration2 years

Total Amount$48,000

PurposeTransition support

Bridge-the-gap alimony covers legitimate identifiable short-term needs — housing deposit, job training expenses, or transition costs. It cannot exceed 2 years and cannot be modified in amount or duration once set.

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Advanced Calculator

SB 1416 alimony type comparison (bridge-gap/rehabilitative/durational), duration caps chart by marriage length.

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Payor Annual Income

Payee Annual Income

Marriage Length

yrs

Post-SB 1416 (2023): Permanent alimony eliminated as default. Four types remain. Type depends on marriage length and circumstances.

Recommended Type for 14-Year Marriage

Durational Alimony

Estimated amount$1,969/mo

Max duration7.0 yrs

Durational: up to 7.0 years (50% cap) (§61.08(7))

Bridge-the-GapMax 2 yrs

Transition from married to single life. ≤2 years. Non-modifiable after entry. (§61.08(5))

Rehabilitative

While payee completes rehab plan (education/training). Must have specific written plan. (§61.08(6))

DurationalApplies

Fixed term: 25% (short), 50% (moderate), 75% (long) of marriage. Amount may be modified. (§61.08(7))

Permanent (exceptional)

Requires finding that no other type adequate. Rare post-SB 1416. Long marriages only. (§61.08(8))

Professional Simulator

Need vs ability analysis, adultery impact modeling, supportive relationship defense scenarios.

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Payor Annual Income

Payee Annual Income

Marriage Length

yrs

Payor Age

yrs

Payee Age

yrs

Payor Net Assets

Payee Net Assets

Adultery (§61.08(1))?

Supportive Relationship (§61.046)?

Estimated Monthly

$2,925/mo

Moderate marriage (15 yrs)

Max Duration

7.5 yrs (50% cap)

Need Analysis (Payee)

Current income: $4,833/mo

Standard gap: $4,875/mo

Need: $2,925/mo

Ability Analysis (Payor)

Monthly income: $14,583/mo

Ability est. (35%): $5,104/mo

After alimony: $11,658/mo

§61.08(2) Factor Analysis

Standard of living (§61.08(2)(a))

Marriage duration (§61.08(2)(b))

Age/health (§61.08(2)(c))

Earning capacity gap (§61.08(2)(d))

Assets/liabilities (§61.08(2)(f))

Contributions to marriage (§61.08(2)(g))

Florida Alimony Law After 2023 Reform

Florida's alimony landscape changed dramatically when Governor DeSantis signed SB 1416 on June 30, 2023, effective July 1, 2023. The most significant change: permanent alimony was eliminated for divorces filed on or after the effective date. Florida now has four types of alimony, each with specific eligibility criteria and duration caps.

For divorces finalized before July 1, 2023, existing permanent alimony orders remain in force unless modified. The new law applies to all new filings and modifications after the effective date.

Florida Alimony Types & Duration Caps

1. Bridge-the-Gap Alimony Purpose: Short-term transition support Maximum Duration: 2 years Modifiable: Amount only (not duration) 2. Rehabilitative Alimony Purpose: Education, training, career re-entry Requires: Specific rehabilitation plan filed with court Duration: Per approved plan (no hard cap post-reform) 3. Durational Alimony Purpose: Economic support for set period Eligibility: Minimum 3 years of marriage Duration Caps (post-SB 1416): Short marriage (3–7 yrs): up to 25% of marriage length Moderate marriage (7–17 yrs): up to 50% of marriage length Long marriage (17+ yrs): up to 75% of marriage length 4. Temporary Alimony (Pendente Lite) Purpose: Support during divorce proceedings Duration: Until final judgment

Example: 11-Year Florida Marriage

Durational Alimony Calculation (Post-Reform)

Higher earner income$110,000/yr

Lower earner income$35,000/yr

Income difference$75,000/yr

Marriage categoryModerate (7–17 years)

Duration cap (50%)5.5 years

Estimated monthly alimony$2,000/mo

Total obligation~$132,000

Under the 2023 reform, this 11-year marriage falls in the "moderate" category with a 50% duration cap — meaning a maximum of 5.5 years of durational support. Before the reform, this marriage could have yielded 10+ years or even permanent support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Florida Senate Bill 1416, signed June 30, 2023 and effective July 1, 2023, eliminated permanent alimony for all divorces filed on or after that date. Existing permanent alimony orders from before July 1, 2023 remain valid, but the new law applies to all post-reform divorces and modifications. Florida now caps durational alimony at 75% of the marriage length for the longest marriages.

Bridge-the-gap alimony is short-term support designed to help a spouse transition from married life to single life. It covers identifiable short-term needs such as a housing deposit, moving costs, or job search expenses. It cannot last more than 2 years, it cannot be modified once ordered, and it terminates automatically upon remarriage or death of either party.

Existing permanent alimony orders entered before July 1, 2023 remain in force. However, SB 1416 changed the modification standard — courts now consider retirement of the payor spouse as a "significant change in circumstances" and must consider whether it is reasonable to retire at normal retirement age. This creates a new pathway for payors to reduce or terminate permanent alimony upon retirement.

Rehabilitative alimony helps a spouse redevelop skills, complete education, or re-enter the workforce. The recipient must file a specific written rehabilitation plan with the court detailing their goals, timeline, and cost. The plan is monitored — if the recipient fails to follow it, the payor can petition to terminate support. Unlike bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative alimony can be modified if circumstances change.

Under the 2023 reform, cohabitation creates a rebuttable presumption that alimony should be reduced or terminated. The payor must show that the recipient is in a "supportive relationship" involving shared finances, shared residence, and mutual support. The court may reduce, suspend, or terminate alimony based on cohabitation evidence, even without remarriage.

Florida Alimony Calculator

Florida Alimony Law After 2023 Reform

Florida Alimony Types & Duration Caps

Example: 11-Year Florida Marriage

Durational Alimony Calculation (Post-Reform)

Frequently Asked Questions

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