Jacksonville Fathers' Rights Attorney

Alimony and Spousal Support Lawyer in Jacksonville, Florida

The state of Florida recognizes equality between men and women with regards to their rights and obligations in divorce or dissolution of marriage proceedings. This impartiality in the law extends to the right to receive alimony (referred to as "spousal support" or "spousal maintenance") and either the husband or the wife may be awarded alimony. Either spouse may also be required to pay alimony in addition to child support payments, but the child support payments will be factored in when the alimony amount is determined. Several factors are involved in making this determination, and this is one of the reasons it is important to get legal representation. Jacksonville alimony lawyers at Ellerin | Hutchinson understand the importance of a father's financial security, working closely with their male clients to protect their interests and aggressively defend their rights.

Determining Alimony in Jacksonville

When it is deemed that spousal support will be awarded, many aspects of the parents' situations are considered. Permanent alimony may be needed, which would continue until the receiving spouse remarries or passes away. Or it may be that "rehabilitative" alimony is appropriate, which is intended to give the spouse who will be receiving support the necessary time to establish sufficient income to be stably self-supporting. The court has the option of stipulating that the support payments be made either in a lump sum, in periodic payments, or both.

Some of the factors that are viewed when determining an alimony award are:

• The standard of living that was established during the course of the marriage.
• Duration of the marriage.
• The financial means and revenue sources of both spouses. Also taken into account are the assets and liabilities acquired during the marriage, as well as "non-marital" property and debts.
• The age of the spouses, their physical health, and their emotional state of mind.
• Sometimes the educational background of the parties will be taken into consideration, as well at whatever period of time may be needed for either of the spouses to gain an adequate level of training or education to merit a higher level of income or to become gainfully employed.

Additionally, the court may consider instances of adultery, spousal abuse, or similar situations when making a determination in favor of or against any spousal support settlement.

Do you need legal representation for your alimony or spousal support arrangement? Contact a Jacksonville fathers' rights attorney at Ellerin | Hutchinson today!