If you are a stay-at-home mom facing divorce in Florida, you may not be able to rely upon alimony to support you and your children. Legal reforms across the country seem to be decreasing the instances of alimony payments, and many women are being to feel the effects. Many courts now expect divorcing women to seek employment to support themselves, even if they have been out of the workforce for years in order to care for the family at home.
According to Forbes, staying at home full time when you marry and have children may not be the wisest course of action. In that situation, you are placing the family’s financial well-being entirely on one person, and you are also putting yourself in a potentially vulnerable position in the event of a divorce. Removing yourself from the workforce may make it more difficult for you to return to the same position in the future, should the need arise. Then, if a divorce does occur and you are required to find a job, you may have to find a position that is below your previous ability and pay level because of your years of inexperience.
Many courts are ordering temporary, rather than permanent, alimony just to help people establish themselves financially after divorce. While there are a few exceptions in which stay-at-home moms receive sufficient alimony, the majority now need to find additional means of support. Therefore, you may wish to continue working, at least part time, throughout your marriage in order to maintain your skills and experience and support yourself in the future.
This information is provided for education purposes only, and is not intended as legal advice.