- The bill deletes the standard of living enjoyed during a marriage factor.
- There would be a new presumption that both parties will have a reduced standard of living.
- Courts must impute income to an unemployed spouse.
- The bill adds 3 years to each category of marriage (short, moderate and long).
- There would be a presumption against alimony for short-term marriages.
- Permanent periodic alimony is eliminated.
- Alimony types would be prioritized, so that bridge-the-gap is considered first, then rehabilitative, lastly, durational alimony.
- A court couldn’t award alimony for more than half the length of the marriage without clear and convincing evidence.
- The bill limits the cases in which a court could award combinations of alimony.
- The retirement of the paying spouse would become a substantial change in circumstances.
- Alimony would automatically terminate at normal retirement age.
- Alimony must be reduced or terminated if the payee spouse is in a supportive relationship.
- The new law would apply to all orders entered before the bill became law, so the bill itself would be grounds for modifying or terminating alimony.
- The bill would create a presumption in favor of equal time-sharing.
- Florida courts do not routinely award permanent alimony.
- Florida courts can ONLY award permanent alimony after making findings of fact that no other form of alimony is fair and reasonable.
- Permanent alimony awards are almost always in long-term marriages.
- Permanent alimony is always modifiable.
- Florida courts cannot order permanent non-modifiable alimony.