Can Infidelity Affect Alimony in Florida?
Alimony is one of the details that have to be worked through during a divorce. The courts use a variety of factors to determine if a spouse gets alimony as well as how much they will be awarded. Just one of the factors considered is infidelity. Here’s a look at factors that influence alimony decisions, including adultery.
Factors Florida Courts Consider in Determining Alimony
The court must first determine if alimony will be awarded to
a spouse in a divorce. After determining that alimony is warranted, they must
determine how much alimony will be awarded. Infidelity is just one of those
factors. The alimony laws in Florida provide the courts with the power to
determine if either spouse should be awarded alimony, as well as how much
alimony they should be awarded.
Some of the factors the court may consider include the
following:
- The
educational history, employability, vocational skills, and earning
capacity of each spouse
- The
physical and emotional condition and age of the spouses
- The
responsibility each spouse has in regard to minor children
- Both
spouses’ sources of income
- Duration
of the marriage
- Standard
of living the two spouses were accustomed to during their marriage
- Contributions
made by spouses to the marriage (education, childcare, homemaking, helping
the other spouse reach career goals)
- Tax
consequences that could occur due to an alimony award
This is not a full list but provides a general idea of the
things the court looks at to determine if one spouse or the other should be
awarded alimony. The courts may award or deny a request for alimony, but there
will still be a statement of facts provided to explain why the alimony was
denied or awarded.
Does Infidelity Play a Role in Determining Alimony?
For infidelity to play a role in the amount of alimony
awarded to a spouse, it would have to have a financial impact on the marriage
or the family. For example, if the adulterous spouse spent significant amounts
of money on their affair, and it caused a financial detriment, alimony or
spousal support may be merited. Other examples of a financial impact due to
infidelity would be lavish spending on jewelry, expensive vacations, or other
non-marital expenditures that could have been used to benefit the family or marriage.
Infidelity may or may not affect an alimony award. A Florida
divorce attorney can help work through these and other issues with divorcing couples.
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