Do I have to pay alimony in a divorce in Florida?

It depends. Courts are required to follow Florida Statute in determining the award for alimony in an divorce. And within the Alimony Statute are a long list of factors and criteria the court must use to determine the award. The fundamental question however, in determining the alimony award is the need of one party for alimony versus the ability of the other party to pay. The court is most interested in allowing both parties to enjoy the standard of living the couple enjoyed while married. However, the factors the court considers are the length of the marriage, the bills for each home, one's ability to contribute to their own cost of living, whether they are employable,or whether they will need time to get on their feet after the divorce, etc. So a lot is considered in determining alimony and one should certainly see a skilled attorney during the divorce process to ensure that the award for alimony is most fairly awarded.