Alimony and child support have been a hot topic for discussion for Florida lawmakers in the past weeks. Within the past month, state lawmakers gave the final approval to legislation that would drastically change alimony in the state of Florida.
This bill sets out a new formula for judges to use to use when deciding temporary alimony payments. It allows alimony to be modified if the former spouse’s income changes, if the payee enters a “supportive relationship,” or if the payer retires. The award duration would be given based on the number of years of marriage, and the amount of the payments would be awarded based on the couple’s gross income. That said, the bill would also allow judges to deviate from these awarding guidelines.
This bill also affects child support. Judges decide how much time children should spend with their divorced parents, which affects the child support payments. The bill states that parents have a right to equal child sharing, a controversial issue that many have taken a stance against. The current law states that there is no favor of either parent, and that the judge must decide what would be best for the children. However, many judges continue to favor the mothers when making these decisions.
Do you see this bill as moving forward, or taking steps backwards? Let me know how you feel in the comments.
Check out the Naples Daily News, Orlando Weekly, and News 4 Jax for articles on this bill. Read the bill in its entirety here.
