Palm Beach County Alimony Attorney

Alimony disputes often surface the most emotionally charged disagreements in a divorce. One spouse may have sacrificed a career or professional advancement to support the household. The other may fear open-ended financial obligations that make it impossible to move forward. A Palm Beach County alimony attorney who understands how Florida’s current spousal support framework actually works can help both sides arrive at an outcome grounded in the facts of the marriage, not fear or frustration.

Florida overhauled its alimony statute in 2023, eliminating permanent alimony entirely. This was a significant shift, and it affects every pending and future alimony determination in Palm Beach County. Whether you are seeking support or facing a request for it, your case will be decided under a framework that looks at the length of the marriage, the parties’ financial circumstances, and specific qualifying conditions for each available type of support. Understanding that framework before you negotiate or litigate puts you in a far stronger position.

Palm Beach County’s courts, centered at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, handle a substantial volume of family law cases involving spousal support, including complex matters tied to significant assets, business ownership, and long-term marriages. The county’s economic range, from working families in Lake Worth Beach and Greenacres to high-net-worth households in Palm Beach and Boca Raton, means alimony issues here can vary enormously in scale. What stays constant is the legal standard courts apply.

Florida’s Alimony Framework After 2023: What Palm Beach County Residents Need to Know

The 2023 legislative changes reshaped how Florida courts approach spousal support from the ground up. Permanent alimony no longer exists as an option. Courts now work within three categories: bridge-the-gap alimony, rehabilitative alimony, and durational alimony. Each type has its own purpose and its own limitations, and courts will only award a type that fits the specific circumstances of the requesting spouse.

Bridge-the-gap alimony is designed for short-term needs. It helps a spouse transition from being married to being self-sufficient, covering identifiable short-term needs rather than ongoing income replacement. It cannot exceed two years in duration and is not modifiable after it is awarded.

Rehabilitative alimony is intended to help a spouse redevelop skills, complete education, or reenter the workforce. This type requires a specific rehabilitative plan, and courts will want to see a defined path, a projected timeline, and a realistic end goal. Without that documented plan, a rehabilitative alimony request is difficult to sustain.

Durational alimony provides support for a set period following the end of the marriage. Under current law, durational alimony cannot exceed 50 percent of the length of a short-term marriage, 60 percent of a moderate-term marriage, or 75 percent of a long-term marriage. Courts classify marriages as short-term (under 10 years), moderate-term (10 to 20 years), or long-term (20 years or more). The duration cap matters enormously in practice, particularly for spouses from long marriages who expected support for an extended period after divorce.

In determining whether alimony is appropriate and in what amount, Palm Beach County courts look at each party’s actual financial resources and earning capacity, the standard of living established during the marriage, the contributions each spouse made, including homemaking and career support, and the tax treatment of any award. Courts can also consider adultery in certain circumstances when it has a financial impact on the marital estate.

Alimony Issues That Arise in Palm Beach County Cases

• Imputed income disputes: When one spouse is voluntarily underemployed or unemployed, the court may impute income based on earning capacity. In Palm Beach County’s labor market, this analysis can involve expert testimony about available jobs, wages in specific industries, and a spouse’s actual qualifications.
• Business income and self-employment: Spouses who own businesses in Palm Beach County’s active commercial sectors often show income on paper that differs significantly from actual cash flow. Forensic accounting becomes essential in these cases to accurately determine gross income available for support calculations.
• Modification after a change in circumstances: Even after an alimony order is in place, either party may return to court to seek modification if there has been a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances, such as job loss, significant income increase, or the recipient’s cohabitation with a new partner.
• Rehabilitation plan disputes: Rehabilitative alimony requires a court-approved plan. Disputes often arise over whether the proposed plan is realistic, whether progress is being made, and whether the payor is entitled to seek modification if the recipient fails to follow through.
• Alimony and retirement: Under current Florida law, a payor spouse’s reaching normal retirement age is a factor courts consider when evaluating modification or termination. For marriages where one spouse is nearing retirement age, this issue is often central to the negotiation.
• High-asset alimony calculations: When household income significantly exceeds typical guidelines, courts have broader discretion. Determining the marital standard of living in a high-net-worth Palm Beach County household requires detailed financial documentation and, often, expert analysis.
• Alimony tax considerations: For divorces finalized after 2018, alimony is neither deductible by the payor nor taxable income to the recipient under federal tax law. This affects how both sides should approach negotiating the amount and structure of any support award.

What to Do If Alimony Is Part of Your Divorce in Palm Beach County

Start gathering financial documentation now. Courts deciding alimony requests look at both spouses’ income, assets, liabilities, and historical standard of living. You will need tax returns from several recent years, pay stubs, bank and investment account statements, retirement account valuations, and documentation of any recurring expenses. If your spouse owns a business or has variable income, identifying and preserving financial records relevant to that income stream is particularly important.

Palm Beach County alimony cases are handled through the 15th Judicial Circuit Court, Family Division, located at 205 North Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. If you are filing for divorce and alimony is a contested issue, your case will be assigned to a family law division and will likely require both financial disclosure through mandatory disclosure rules and, in many cases, a formal hearing before a General Magistrate or Circuit Judge. Understanding the local court’s expectations for financial disclosure and case management deadlines can save considerable time and expense.

One common mistake is treating alimony as an afterthought while focusing entirely on property division. Alimony and property division are legally separate determinations, but they interact. A spouse who receives a larger share of marital assets may receive less alimony, and vice versa. Negotiating both together gives you more flexibility to reach a settlement that actually fits your financial reality.

Another mistake is failing to document the marital standard of living while still married. Courts are asked to reconstruct that standard based on evidence. If you are approaching divorce and alimony may be at issue, preserving bank records, credit card statements, and documentation of household spending patterns is something you should begin doing now, not after litigation has started.

If you are currently paying alimony under an older order and believe a substantial change in circumstances justifies modification, you will need to file a supplemental petition for modification with the same court. Courts do not modify orders retroactively to a date before the petition was filed, which means delays in filing can cost real money.

Why Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. for Palm Beach County Alimony Representation

Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. concentrates its practice on divorce and family law, which means alimony is not a peripheral matter handled alongside unrelated case types. It is central to the work the firm does every day. The firm serves clients across South Florida and maintains offices in Fort Lauderdale, giving clients throughout Palm Beach County access to representation from attorneys who practice family law exclusively.

The firm’s focus on amicable resolution, including mediation and negotiated settlement, does not mean passive advocacy. It means clients benefit from a process where the goal is a durable, fair outcome without the cost and uncertainty of prolonged litigation. In alimony disputes, that approach matters. Spousal support that both parties find workable is far more likely to be honored long-term than an award extracted through contested litigation. The firm helps clients identify what is actually achievable under Florida’s current framework, negotiate from a position of clarity, and, when litigation is unavoidable, prepare a well-documented case for the court.

For clients in Palm Beach County facing complex alimony questions, including those tied to business income, long marriages, or the transition to post-2023 law, the firm’s background in family mediation also creates options that many clients find valuable. A skilled mediator can help spouses work through alimony disagreements in a structured setting before those disputes ever reach a courtroom.

Common Questions About Alimony in Palm Beach County

Does Florida still have permanent alimony?

No. Florida eliminated permanent alimony effective July 1, 2023. Courts can no longer award open-ended, indefinite support. All new alimony awards must fit within one of the three current categories: bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational alimony, each with defined durational limits.

How does a Palm Beach County court decide whether to award alimony at all?

The court first determines whether the requesting spouse has an actual need for support and whether the other spouse has the ability to pay. If both conditions are met, the court then considers a range of statutory factors, including the length of the marriage, each party’s financial resources and earning capacity, contributions made during the marriage (including as a homemaker), and the standard of living during the marriage.

Can alimony be modified after it is ordered?

Durational and rehabilitative alimony can be modified if the requesting party demonstrates a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances. Bridge-the-gap alimony is not modifiable after it is awarded. Any party seeking modification must file a supplemental petition with the court before any change takes effect.

Will a judge automatically award alimony in a long marriage?

Not automatically. A long marriage, classified as 20 years or more under Florida law, does give the court broader discretion on duration. But the requesting spouse still must demonstrate need, and the paying spouse’s ability to pay is always part of the analysis. Length of marriage affects how long alimony can run, not whether it is awarded in the first place.

How is alimony calculated in Florida?

Florida does not use a fixed formula for alimony amounts the way it does for child support. Courts weigh the relevant statutory factors and set an amount based on the requesting spouse’s demonstrated need and the other spouse’s ability to pay, with the marital standard of living as a reference point. This means the actual amount varies considerably from case to case, which is why financial documentation is so important.

What happens to alimony if the recipient starts living with someone new?

Cohabitation with a romantic partner can be grounds for modification or termination of a durational alimony award. The paying spouse would need to file a modification petition and demonstrate that the cohabitation is ongoing and that it has reduced the recipient’s financial need. Courts evaluate these cases on their specific facts, not on cohabitation alone.

Can a spouse waive alimony in a prenuptial agreement?

Yes. A valid prenuptial agreement can include a waiver of alimony, and Florida courts will generally enforce those provisions if the agreement was entered into voluntarily, with full financial disclosure, and without fraud or duress. Challenging the enforceability of a prenuptial alimony waiver is possible but requires substantial evidence of procedural defects in how the agreement was signed.

What if my spouse is hiding income to reduce alimony?

Income concealment in alimony proceedings is unfortunately not uncommon, particularly when a spouse is self-employed or owns a business. Courts have the authority to compel financial disclosure, order depositions, and consider forensic accounting evidence. If a court finds that a spouse has deliberately concealed income, that conduct can affect not only the alimony award but also how the court views that party’s credibility throughout the case.

Does retirement automatically end alimony in Florida?

Not automatically, but retirement at a normal retirement age is a factor the court considers when evaluating a modification petition. A paying spouse approaching retirement age who anticipates a significant income reduction should plan ahead and file a modification petition at the appropriate time rather than simply stopping payments.

Can we agree on alimony without going to court in Palm Beach County?

Yes, and for many couples this is the preferred path. A negotiated alimony agreement, reached directly between the parties or through mediation, can be incorporated into a marital settlement agreement and submitted to the court for approval. As long as the agreement meets Florida’s legal requirements, courts typically accept it. Negotiated settlements are faster, less expensive, and give both parties more control over the outcome than contested alimony litigation.

Serving Palm Beach County Alimony Clients Across the Region

Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. serves clients throughout Palm Beach County and the surrounding South Florida region. From the urban communities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach through the coastal cities of Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and Boca Raton, the firm works with individuals facing alimony and divorce matters at every income level and in every stage of the process. Clients from Palm Beach Island, Jupiter, Tequesta, and Juno Beach have access to the same focused family law representation, as do those in the inland communities of Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Lake Worth Corridor, Greenacres, and Loxahatchee. Further south, clients in Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, and Coconut Creek are also served, as are those in the greater Fort Lauderdale area of Broward County. The firm also maintains a presence in St. Augustine for clients in the St. Johns County area. Across all of these communities, the practice remains the same: helping individuals and families resolve spousal support disputes thoughtfully and with as much stability as the situation allows.

Contact a Palm Beach County Alimony Lawyer at Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A.

Alimony is one of the most fact-intensive areas of Florida divorce law, and the 2023 changes have added new layers of complexity to every case. Whether you are seeking support after a long marriage, contesting an alimony request you believe is unsupported by the facts, or trying to modify an existing order, having clear guidance from a Palm Beach County alimony lawyer who understands the current legal framework can make a concrete difference in your outcome. At Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A., we work with clients to cut through the uncertainty, document what the law actually requires, and pursue a resolution that reflects their real financial circumstances. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.