Permanent Alimony Awards Tied To Length Of Marriage

One of the key components as to whether or not an individual will receive a permanent periodic alimony award is the length of the marriage. In Florida, there is a presumption in favor of permanent periodic alimony in a long term marriage, a presumption against permanent periodic alimony in short-term marriages and no presumption in favor of or against permanent periodic alimony in gray-area marriages. When determining whether or not someone should receive permanent alimony, we must look to what constitutes a short-term, long-term and gray-area marriage. The definitions of these three types of marriage vary among and changes from time to time in each district.

Definitions of Marriage for Alimony Purposes
1. Long Term Marriage- Can be any where from 14-17 years and up depending on the district.
2. Short Term Marriage- Can go as high as 8 years.
3. Gray-Area Marriage- Can be any where from 6-18 years depending on the district.

If alimony is an issue in your divorce case, you should look to the case law of your district to determine which definition of marriage your case falls under.