Blog Post

Marriage Length + Divorce in Florida: Things to Know

  • By Laura Spencer Coleman
  • 05 Jun, 2019
Marriage Length and Divorce in the state of Florida

If you’re seeking a divorce in the state of Florida, the length of your marriage has an impact on the process and outcome of your divorce proceedings.

In the majority of cases, divorce is an emotionally devastating life event. The breakup of a marriage can cause a number of issues, including battles over property, child custody and alimony. Regardless of the length of time you’ve been married, divorce is never an easy choice to make.

Unfortunately, it’s often a necessary one.

And for people who have little understanding of Florida divorce law, it can also be frightening and intimidating.

The more research you do before filing for your divorce, the better equipped you’ll be to find the right lawyer and make the right choices for your future.

Laura Spencer Coleman is a trusted Florida divorce lawyer with nearly 20 years of family law experience. She is passionate about helping Florida residents navigate the legal intricacies of divorce so they can move on with their lives.

Today, we’re examining one of the most important factors influencing Florida divorce: the length of your marriage.

Short-Term Marriages + Divorce

In Florida, a short-term marriage is one that lasts for fewer than 7 years.

This information may affect your divorce in a couple of ways.

Firstly, if you and your ex-spouse cannot agree on alimony arrangements, the court will step in and make a determination for you. When making alimony determination, the court considers several factors, including:

  • The standard of living established during the marriage
  • The financial resources of each party
  • The age and physical and emotional state of each party
  • The duration of the marriage
  • The earning capacity and employability of each party
  • The contribution of each party to the marriage, including services of childrearing, homemaking, and contribution to the education or career of the other party
  • The responsibilities of each party towards providing care for minor children

The duration of your marriage may impact the type and amount of alimony awarded to either you or your spouse during a divorce. Alimony for short-term marriages is rarely awarded by the court, especially if the party seeking alimony is employable.

Secondly, property may be divided differently for short-term marriages, with less complex division stipulations. People in short-term marriages have had less time to intertwine their finances or acquire property together. As a result, it can be difficult for a divorcing parties to determine which property each individual is entitled to.

A divorce lawyer can help you navigate these contentious issues during your divorce.

Fortunately, the petition for dissolution of marriage is the same for short, moderate, and long-term marriages.

A simplified dissolution of marriage is a procedure that allows couples to obtain a divorce in a relatively short time period. However, this divorce petition is only obtainable for couples with no minor children, no alimony, and no property disputes. Both parties must agree to property division and at least one party must have lived in the state of Florida for six months prior.

Moderate-Term Marriage + Divorce

In Florida, a moderate-term marriage is one that lasts between 7-17 years. Dissolution of marriage at this level often has more complicated legal features.

Alimony--if not agreed upon by the divorcing parties beforehand--may be awarded by the court upon review of each party’s financial situation, employment status and employability.

Long-Term Marriages + Divorce

In Florida, a long-term marriage is one that lasts longer than 17 years.

Dissolution of a long-term marriage is often more complicated and contentious than divorce for short or moderate-term marriages. Couples who have been married for 17 years or more often have complex financial entanglements and property holdings.

For this reason, alimony of any kind is more likely to be awarded in the dissolution of a long-term marriage.

Bridge-the-gap alimony may be awarded to one spouse to help him or her adjust to life as a single person following a divorce. This type of alimony is designed to address specific short-term necessities and does not exceed a time period of two years.

Rehabilitative alimony may be awarded to a spouse who needs help in building the skills and credentials needed to be employable following a divorce. In order to receive this type of alimony, an individual must have a specific and detailed plan for acquiring skills, training or certification.

Durational alimony is designed to provide a dependent spouse with financial support for a set period of time after a divorce.

Permanent alimony is generally only awarded to spouses in long-term marriages who lack the ability to provide for themselves financially to the standard that was set during the marriage.

Preparing For Your Florida Divorce

Regardless of the length of your marriage, you need a reliable, compassionate divorce lawyer to fight for your interests in court.

Laura Spencer Coleman has been navigating long-term, short-term and moderate-term marriage dissolution for Florida Panhandle residents for nearly 20 years.

Contact the law office of Laura Spencer Coleman to schedule a consultation today.
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