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What is rehabilitative alimony?

by | Oct 21, 2018 | Firm News |

When calculating how much money one spouse is to give another during a divorce, it is critical to consider several factors. A particular type of alimony may be preferable over another, and some spouses going through a divorce will want to look into rehabilitative alimony

In the most basic sense, rehabilitative alimony goes to a person for a limited amount of time until she or he can make a living on his or her own after the divorce. This alimony most often comes up in instances where one spouse held down a job and the other stayed at home. The at-home spouse may not have the skills or education necessary to make a decent living, so the court has one spouse pay the other to attend classes and get the training necessary to enter the workforce. 

The purpose

Most people are familiar with permanent alimony where one spouse gives another a set amount of money for the rest of their lives. However, courts in Florida have found that this is not always in the best interest of either party. The spouse who receives the alimony may feel compelled to not get a job. Many courts prefer the spouse who requires the funds to come up with a plan to show the alimony is only a temporary solution until a better accommodation goes into place.

The plan

When pursuing rehabilitative alimony, the spouse who needs to develop skills needs to present a detailed plan to the court. The plan needs to be as specific as possible, so the court can make an accurate determination to how long alimony will be necessary. The details of this plan can include the specific college degree the spouse wants to pursue, the length of time it takes to earn such a degree and the cost of tuition. It is critical to have a written copy of this plan so that all parties remain on the same page.