Category Archives: Family Law
Calculating the Amount and Duration of Alimony Payments in Florida
In recent years, many other jurisdictions have significantly revamped their alimony laws. In places like Illinois and nearby South Carolina, alimony calculations are more like child support calculations. A mathematical formula usually controls the results. But Florida law is much more subjective in this area. When calculating the amount and duration of payments, judges… Read More »
Making and Breaking Premarital Agreements in Florida
Granted, there is nothing romantic about a premarital agreement. Yet these pacts are increasingly common, especially among Millennials. A premarital agreement is basically an insurance policy against a protracted and expensive divorce. Although no one expects to die early, most people have life insurance. Similarly, a premarital agreement does not mean you anticipate or… Read More »
Why You Should Have a Premarital Agreement
Divorce is a greater possibility today than it ever has been before. 73 percent of Americans believe that divorce is a morally acceptable way to end an unsatisfying marriage. Divorce often causes significant financial and emotional losses. So, just like it’s important to have flood insurance if you live on a flood plain, it’s… Read More »
Setting and Modifying Child Support Obligations in Florida
Most states, including Florida, are income share child support jurisdictions. The child support guidelines take a number of factors into account so that, as closely as possible, the children have the same standard of living they would have had if their parents remained married. The guideline amounts are presumptively reasonable, and judges very rarely… Read More »
Seven Key Property Division Factors in Florida
Here in the Sunshine State, a legal marriage dissolution must divide marital property in a just and right manner. That’s an important principle, but it is also rather subjective. To flesh out this general rule, state lawmakers outlined a series of factors in Section 61.075 of the Florida Statutes. These factors play a prominent… Read More »
The Three Cs of Mediation
Most divorce cases are extremely complex. There are lots of emotional and financial issues, and many times, these issues overlap. Additionally, in many cases, the spouses do not trust each other. That’s especially true if there was trauma in the marriage, like an affair or a secret bank account. In situations like these, professional… Read More »
Top Three Best Interest Factors in a Port St. Lucie Child Custody Dispute
Two broad presumptions dominate Florida parenting time laws. First, all these decisions must put the children’s interests first. Second, most children benefit from meaningful and consistent contact with both their biological parents. But these abstract presumptions are difficult to apply. Furthermore, they are subject to different interpretations. To assist in an initial determination or… Read More »
Does Child Support Include College Tuition in Florida?
In many states, child support rarely ends at age 18. Instead, it often continues until age 22. But instead of making direct payments to the residential parent, the non-residential parent must pay a share of college expenses. That’s not the case in Florida. In the Sunshine State, unless the child has a serious mental… Read More »
The Changing Face Of Alimony In Port St. Lucie
This post is not about structural alimony reform in Florida. That issue was a political hot button a few years ago, but it appears to be dead in the water now. Instead, this post focuses on the monumental tax law change which took effect on January 1, 2019. For decades, obligors have been able… Read More »
Five Property Division Factors In A Florida Divorce
The Sunshine State is an equitable division jurisdiction. Upon marriage dissolution, marital property must be divided in an equitable manner. In this context, “equitable” is usually, although not always, synonymous with “equal.” Overall, the divorce must not be an unfair financial burden on either party. This goal is a little broad and subjective. So,… Read More »
