An Update on Florida Alimony Case Law: Are Alimony Guidelines a Part of Our Future?, Part II

Many state legislatures are thinking about using alimony guidelines, but not many have put specific formulas in place yet. The Georgia and Nevada supreme courts have suggested using alimony guidelines. In Michigan, they have a committee that has looked at different computer programs for alimony guidelines and recommend one for the state to use. The developer of the Michigan program also made software for Washington and Kentucky. Most places using guidelines are doing it at a local or county level. Pennsylvania has guidelines for determining temporary alimony and child support, which were put in place in 1989 to make sure similar cases are treated similarly and to make support hearings more efficient. The guidelines are based on the needs of the person seeking support and the ability of the other person to pay. They take into account the incomes of both parties and any special circumstances that might apply. The goal is to make sure support is based on income and to make sure it’s fair for everyone involved. In Pennsylvania, the amount of spousal support is determined using specific formulas based on the parties’ net incomes and other support obligations. Deviations from the guideline amount are allowed with written justification. The goal is to treat similar people similarly, but deviations can be made if necessary. The same approach is used in Arkansas and New Mexico for temporary support. In California, the “California Formula” is used to calculate alimony awards, with potential deviations based on various factors. Overall, these guidelines aim to ensure fair support awards for spouses. In California, the duration of alimony is based on the length of the marriage. If the marriage is less than 10 years, the alimony lasts half as long as the marriage. If it’s 10 to 20 years, the duration of alimony should be a certain formula. In Kentucky, a court suggested a maintenance formula that takes into account the incomes of both spouses and other factors.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/an-update-on-florida-alimony-case-law-are-alimony-guidelines-a-part-of-our-future-part-ii/