Jacksonville Alimony Lawyer
Matt Hunt is a Board Certified Marital & Family Law attorney at Phillips, Hunt & Walker — one of the rarest credentials in Florida family law. The Florida Bar independently tested and certified his expertise through examination and peer review. AV-Preeminent (Martindale-Hubbell). Florida Super Lawyers. Among the youngest attorneys in Florida to achieve Board Certification in his specialty.
Florida’s alimony law underwent its most significant reform in decades in 2023. If you are going through a divorce or seeking to modify an existing alimony order, understanding these changes is essential — and having an attorney who knows them cold is the difference between a fair outcome and a financial arrangement you’ll live with for years.
Free consultation. No copy costs charged to clients. Call (904) 444-4444.
Florida’s 2023 Alimony Reform: What Changed
HB 1409 was signed into law on June 30, 2023, and took effect July 1, 2023.
Permanent alimony is abolished — effective for all cases filed on or after July 1, 2023. If you are divorcing now, permanent alimony is off the table.
New durational caps:
- Short-term marriages (less than 10 years): Alimony may not exceed 50% of the length of the marriage
- Moderate-term marriages (10–20 years): Alimony may not exceed 60% of the length of the marriage
- Long-term marriages (20+ years): Alimony may not exceed 75% of the length of the marriage
Courts can exceed these caps only in exceptional circumstances.
Retirement is now a recognized basis for modification or termination. A paying spouse’s good faith retirement at or near full retirement age is now an express statutory basis for modification or termination — a significant change from prior law.
Forms of Alimony Available Under the New Law
Bridge-the-Gap Alimony: Short-term support for up to two years to help a spouse transition from married to single life. Not modifiable in amount or duration once awarded.
Rehabilitative Alimony: Support during a specific, defined rehabilitation plan — returning to school, obtaining a certification, rebuilding career skills. The plan must be in writing with defined goals and milestones. Modifiable if the recipient fails to follow the plan or completes it early.
Durational Alimony: Support for a defined period, subject to the caps above. Can be modified in amount based on changed circumstances; term modification requires exceptional circumstances.
There is no permanent alimony for cases filed after July 1, 2023.
How Courts Determine Alimony: Need and Ability to Pay
Under Fla. Stat. § 61.08, alimony is based on the paying spouse’s ability to pay and the receiving spouse’s need. Courts consider: the standard of living established during the marriage; marriage length; each spouse’s earning capacity; contributions to the marriage (including raising children or supporting the other’s career); financial resources of each spouse; age and health; and tax treatment.
Alimony trials are won on evidence and preparation — tax returns, business records, lifestyle analysis, imputed income calculation, and often vocational expert testimony.
Modification of Pre-2023 Permanent Alimony
If you have a permanent alimony order entered before July 1, 2023, the 2023 reforms allow modification under new standards. Under the amended Fla. Stat. § 61.14, a paying spouse can seek modification or termination based on: retirement at or near full retirement age; the recipient’s supportive relationship (cohabiting with a romantic partner who contributes to their support); or a substantial change in either party’s financial circumstances.
If you are paying permanent alimony and have retired or are approaching retirement age, this is one of the most important legal developments of the decade. Contact us to evaluate your modification options.
Imputed Income: What Happens When a Spouse Underearns
Florida courts can impute income to a spouse who is voluntarily underemployed or unemployed — treating them as if they earn what they are capable of earning. If your spouse is capable of earning $80,000/year but voluntarily works part-time at $25,000, the court can impute $80,000 in income, reducing your alimony obligation. Imputed income disputes require vocational expert testimony.
Why Phillips, Hunt & Walker
Matt Hunt — Board Certified in Marital & Family Law by the Florida Bar. AV-Preeminent (Martindale-Hubbell). Florida Super Lawyers. Among the youngest attorneys in Florida to achieve Board Certification. He knows the 2023 alimony reforms inside and out — what changed, what didn’t, and how courts are applying them right now.
John M. Phillips — Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. Forbes Top 200 Lawyer in America (2025) and Top 20 in Florida. Florida Trend Legal Elite (top 1% of Florida attorneys). The firm’s trial depth means alimony disputes that go to contested hearing are handled by attorneys with real trial experience.
No copy costs. No interest on litigation expenses. Competitors charge LIBOR + 8% interest. We don’t. Zero. Period.
660 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204. Serving clients throughout Northeast Florida.
Alimony FAQs
Q: Will I have to pay alimony?
A: Not automatically. Alimony requires proof of the recipient’s need and the paying spouse’s ability to pay. Marriages of less than 5 years rarely result in alimony. Every case is fact-specific.
Q: How long will I have to pay alimony?
A: Under the 2023 law, durational limits apply: 50% of marriage length for short-term, 60% for moderate-term (10-20 years), 75% for long-term (20+ years). Alimony terminates upon the recipient’s remarriage.
Q: Can I get alimony reduced if I lose my job?
A: You can seek modification based on a substantial, material, involuntary change in financial circumstances. Job loss qualifies — but voluntary job changes or voluntary income reduction typically do not. Act immediately; modification is prospective, not retroactive.
Q: Does my spouse’s affair affect alimony?
A: Florida is no-fault, but under Fla. Stat. § 61.08(1), the court must consider adultery and its resulting economic impact. If your spouse spent marital funds on an affair, those expenditures may reduce their alimony claim or increase yours.
Q: I’m retiring soon. Do I still have to pay permanent alimony?
A: Under the 2023 reform, retirement at or near full retirement age is an express basis for modification or termination of existing alimony orders. Contact us immediately to evaluate your options.
Q: What happens to alimony if my ex remarries?
A: Alimony terminates automatically upon the recipient’s remarriage. Fla. Stat. § 61.08(7). Cohabitation in a supportive relationship — without remarriage — is a basis for modification but does not automatically terminate alimony.
Contact Phillips, Hunt & Walker
Alimony is a long-term financial commitment. Get it right.
Free consultation. No copy costs. No interest on litigation expenses.
Call (904) 444-4444 today.
Phillips, Hunt & Walker
660 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204
(904) 444-4444 | floridajustice.com
Board Certified Marital & Family Law Attorney. Serving Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.