TAVARES, Fla., Feb. 23, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- By a vote of 83 to 30, the Florida House of Representatives voted today to make major changes to the state's antiquated permanent alimony laws, in HR 549, sponsored by Rep. Ritch Workman (R-Brevard). HR 549 has the support of Florida Alimony Reform (FAR), the state's primary grassroots reform organization, and the largest such organization in the country. While the bill passed over the opposition of the Florida Bar Association, the sponsor and FAR are still working closely with the Bar to help move the bill through the Senate.
"This is a great day for families in Florida," said FAR co-director and spokesman, Alan Frisher, a Licensed Financial Advisor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), who was ordered to pay permanent alimony after a 13-year marriage and has testified as to the harmful effects of permanent alimony on children. "Florida is joining the rest of the country in creating alimony laws for the 21st century," said Frisher. "I'm hopeful the Senate will soon follow suit, and our citizens can look forward to alimony laws that resemble those of the rest of the country."
Florida is one of very few states that awards permanent lifetime alimony that does not end at retirement but at death of either party or the remarriage of the recipient. Under current law, it is common that the payer of alimony lives at a lower lifestyle than the recipient, who is under no obligation to work.
HR 549's provisions:
- Require that an award of alimony cannot leave payer with less net income or with a lower standard of living than the recipient;
- Include a rebuttable presumption that both parties will have a lower standard of living than during the marriage;
- Clarify that adultery can only be used in determining alimony awards if it led to depletion of marital assets or decease in family income;
- Make durational alimony the default, instead of the default being long-term alimony; and make alimony last for 50% of the time of the marriage, unless there are special circumstances with written findings;
- Encourage need-based alimony, through bridge-the-gap awards, which can be combined with rehabilitative and then durational alimony;
- Codify current case law that permits people to file for modifications in anticipation of retirement, effective upon retirement, if they have reached the retirement age of their profession, have retired, and have no intention of working.
- Remove a judge's ability to use a second spouse's income or assets in alimony modifications.
- Increase the definition of long-term marriages to 20 years from 17 years.
- Require the court to reduce or terminate alimony if they find a supportive relationship has existed.
FAR's co-director Alan Frisher continues to work closely with lawmakers on the bill's passage through the Senate.
For more on FAR's efforts to bring Florida's alimony laws into the 21st century, please visit http://www.floridaalimonyreform.com.
The Florida Alimony Reform logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11350