Family Law Guide

Types of Alimony in Florida After the 2023 Reform

Florida rewrote its alimony law in 2023. Permanent alimony is gone, the marriage-length brackets changed, and every award now comes with a built-in expiration. Here's what's left and how each type actually works.

The Four Remaining Types

Senate Bill 1416 eliminated permanent periodic alimony for any final judgment entered on or after July 1, 2023. In its place, Florida law now recognizes four categories, each with its own purpose and built-in limits:

Temporary alimony. Support paid while the divorce case is pending, ending when the final judgment is entered.
Bridge-the-gap alimony. Short-term support for identifiable, near-term transitional needs — capped at two years and not modifiable once ordered.
Rehabilitative alimony. Support tied to a specific plan to rebuild earning capacity, capped at five years.
Durational alimony. Support for a set period tied to the length of the marriage, available when the other categories don't fit.

Bridge-the-Gap Alimony

Bridge-the-gap alimony exists for one narrow purpose: covering identifiable, short-term needs as a spouse transitions from married to single life — things like temporarily covering a specific expense while new arrangements get sorted out. An award cannot exceed two years, and unlike the other categories, it is not modifiable in amount or duration once the court orders it. It also terminates automatically if either party dies or the recipient remarries.

Rehabilitative Alimony

Rehabilitative alimony is designed to help a spouse become self-supporting — either by redeveloping skills or credentials they already had, or by acquiring the education or training needed for a new career path. Florida law requires more than a general request for this type: the order has to include a specific, defined rehabilitative plan. Without a plan in the record, a rehabilitative award isn't available. The maximum duration is five years, and unlike bridge-the-gap alimony, it can be modified if circumstances change or the plan is completed early.

Durational Alimony

Durational alimony is the closest thing to a default award under the new law — used when a spouse needs ongoing support but neither bridge-the-gap nor rehabilitative alimony fits the situation. It comes with two separate caps:

Length cap, tied to how long the marriage lasted: up to 50% of the marriage length for a short-term marriage (under 10 years), up to 60% for a moderate-term marriage (10 to 20 years), and up to 75% for a long-term marriage (20 years or more).
Amount cap: durational alimony cannot exceed the recipient's reasonable need, or 35% of the difference between the parties' net incomes — whichever amount is lower.

Marriages under three years generally don't qualify for durational alimony at all, though a bridge-the-gap or temporary award may still be possible. Courts can extend the length or amount of a durational award beyond these caps only in exceptional circumstances, supported by clear and convincing evidence — this is meant to be the rare exception, not a routine outcome.

How Marriage Length Is Now Measured

The reform also changed the marriage-length brackets themselves, replacing the older 7-year/17-year dividing lines. Under current law, marriage length is measured from the date the divorce petition was filed back to the date of the marriage, and falls into three categories: short-term (under 10 years), moderate-term (10 to 20 years), and long-term (20 years or more). Which bracket a marriage falls into affects both the durational alimony length cap and, more generally, how a judge weighs the equities of the case.

Modifying or Terminating Alimony

Whether an award can be changed later depends on which type it is. Bridge-the-gap alimony is locked in once ordered — no modification in amount or duration. Rehabilitative and durational alimony can generally be modified or terminated based on a substantial change in circumstances, which can include a significant change in either party's income, completion of a rehabilitative plan ahead of schedule, or the paying spouse's retirement, which the 2023 reform specifically addressed as a basis for modification. All alimony (apart from a bridge-the-gap award already paid out) terminates on the death of either party, and terminates or can be suspended if the recipient enters a supportive relationship.

What This Means If You're Facing a Divorce

Because every award now has a defined endpoint and, for durational alimony, hard caps tied to marriage length and income, the practical questions in most cases become: which category applies, how long the marriage actually lasted for bracket purposes, and what the income gap between the parties looks like. These are fact-specific calculations, and getting the marriage-length bracket or the rehabilitative plan wrong can significantly change the outcome.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Florida still have permanent alimony?

No. Florida eliminated permanent alimony for final judgments entered on or after July 1, 2023. Judges can no longer order alimony that continues indefinitely; every award now falls into one of the remaining time-limited categories.

How is durational alimony capped?

Duration is capped as a percentage of the marriage length — 50% for marriages under 10 years, 60% for marriages of 10 to 20 years, and 75% for marriages of 20 years or more. The amount is capped at the recipient's reasonable need or 35% of the difference between the parties' net incomes, whichever is less.

Can I get alimony from a short marriage?

Generally no. Florida law does not permit an award of durational alimony for a marriage that lasted less than three years, though bridge-the-gap or temporary alimony may still be available depending on the circumstances.

Can alimony be modified later?

It depends on the type. Bridge-the-gap alimony cannot be modified in amount or duration once ordered. Rehabilitative and durational alimony can generally be modified or terminated based on a substantial change in circumstances, such as the paying spouse's retirement or either party's income changing significantly.

What happened to the old "gray area" marriage length rule?

The 2023 reform replaced the old 7/17-year moderate-term marriage brackets with new categories measured from the date of filing: short-term is under 10 years, moderate-term is 10 to 20 years, and long-term is 20 years or more.

Facing an Alimony Question in Your Divorce?

General information is a starting point — not a substitute for advice about your specific circumstances. Schedule a consultation with Attorney Graziano, in person or by video.

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