Florida Divorce in 2026

If you are contemplating divorce, there are some issues worth paying attention to in the Sunshine state. As 2026 speeds along, so, too, do the legal wranglings impacting divorce outcomes.

Time-Sharing

Legislative proposals are looking to address the issues surrounding parenting issues during the divorce. The goal is to have parents come up with parenting plans quickly. In situations where parents cannot agree to a plan, the proposals seek to require hearings within 30 days in lieu of requiring mediation, and have judges determine a fair temporary parenting plan. The bottom line is that having one parent suffer long periods without contact with their children is unhealthy, unfair, and unacceptable. Florida courts lean toward the notion that children do best when there is equal time-sharing, and that is the goal in most situations.

Changes to Alimony 

Florida is backing away from ordering alimony-for-life and opting instead for durational alimony, which has a time limit. New divorcees will not have the option to be awarded permanent alimony.  Furthermore, it will be easier for payers to stop making payments when the recipient of those payments is involved in a supportive relationship. The caps are as follows:

• Short-term: Bumped from seven years up to under ten years of marriage;
• Moderate-term: 10-20 years married, compared to 7-17 previously;
• Long-term: 20+ years of marriage, compared to 17+ in the past.

Additionally, those who are ordered to pay alimony will now have a smoother path toward ending or reducing payments when they reach what is referred to as a reasonable retirement. There are several rules related to this:

• Retirement must occur at normal retirement age–the age at which the individual is eligible for full Social Security benefits or the typical age of retirement within a particular profession. For example, teachers may retire after 30 years of service, which would put a retiree in their 50’s in many cases, and commercial pilots are required to retire by age 65, which is earlier than full Social Security benefit eligibility for most people.
• The retirement must be legit, and cannot be simply a tactic to avoid alimony responsibilities.
• When the retirement is a result of poor health, exceptions may be made to the age rules. Courts will use their discretion in weighing the needs of both parties.
• State law allows for requests to modify or end alimony payments to be filed within six months of retirement.

Your Advocate 

The experienced Boca Raton divorce attorneys at WiseLieberman are available to assist and advocate for all of your divorce needs. To discuss, schedule a confidential consultation in our Boca Raton office today.

Source:

law.com/dailybusinessreview/2026/01/21/florida-alimony-reform-how-normal-retirement-age-could-shape-court-decisions-in-2026/?slreturn=20260320191517