Alimony in Florida ends when one of a defined set of events occurs: the award reaches the end of its built-in term, either spouse dies, the recipient remarries, the recipient enters a supportive relationship with someone else, the payor retires at normal retirement age, or either spouse’s financial circumstances change substantially. Some of these end payments automatically. Most require a court order before you can stop paying. If you are asking when alimony ends in Florida, the short answer is that only death and the recipient’s remarriage terminate the obligation on their own; everything else runs through a judge.
Endings That Happen Automatically
Two events end bridge-the-gap and durational alimony by operation of the statute, with no motion required.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 61.08 – Alimony
The first is the death of either spouse. The obligation does not pass to the paying spouse’s estate. Rehabilitative alimony lacks identical statutory wording, but courts treat it the same because the award is tied to a personal rehabilitation plan.
The second is the recipient’s remarriage. Payments end on the date of the new marriage. You do not need a court order to stop, though obtaining one confirming the termination protects you from later disputes over the effective date or a claimed balance. Remarriage of the paying spouse does not end alimony; a new spouse’s finances can, at most, support a modification petition.
One caveat on death: if the divorce judgment required the payor to carry a life insurance policy securing alimony, the beneficiary may still collect the proceeds. That is a contract issue separate from the alimony obligation itself.
The Built-In End Date on Your Award
Florida eliminated permanent alimony effective July 1, 2023. The change applies to divorce petitions filed on or after that date. Existing permanent alimony awards from earlier divorces stay in place unless a court modifies them. Every new award now carries a statutory cap on how long it can last.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 61.08 – Alimony
Bridge-the-gap alimony covers short-term transition costs and cannot exceed two years. It cannot be modified in amount or duration.
Rehabilitative alimony funds a specific plan for the recipient to become self-supporting, such as finishing a degree. It cannot exceed five years and can be modified or ended early if the recipient completes the plan, abandons it, or circumstances change.
Durational alimony runs for a set period tied to the length of the marriage:
- Marriages under 10 years: up to 50 percent of the marriage’s length
- Marriages of 10 to 20 years: up to 60 percent of the marriage’s length
- Marriages over 20 years: up to 75 percent of the marriage’s length
Durational alimony is not available for marriages under three years. A court can extend it beyond these caps only on clear and convincing evidence of exceptional circumstances, such as a disability preventing self-support.
When the term ends, so does the obligation. No motion, no order.
Cohabitation and Supportive Relationships
Florida law lets a court reduce or terminate alimony when the recipient enters a “supportive relationship” with someone who is not a blood relative or relative by marriage. Marriage is not required, and the relationship does not have to be romantic. What matters is whether the arrangement provides economic support comparable to what a spouse would provide.2Justia Law. Florida Statutes 61.14 – Enforcement and Modification of Support, Maintenance, or Alimony Agreements or Orders
This termination is not automatic. The paying spouse must file a petition and prove the relationship by a preponderance of the evidence. Courts weigh factors including how the couple presents themselves publicly, how long they have lived together, whether they pool finances, whether they share property or support each other’s businesses and children, and whether they have any implied agreement about sharing resources. The court also looks at whether the payor has kept current on payments; falling behind while arguing the recipient no longer needs support undercuts credibility.3Florida Senate. Florida Code 61.14 – Enforcement and Modification of Support, Maintenance, or Alimony Agreements or Orders
Winning this kind of case usually requires real evidence: documentation of shared residence, financial records showing joint expenses, and statements from people familiar with the arrangement. Suspicion alone does not carry the burden.
Retirement of the Paying Spouse
Section 61.14 lets a court modify or terminate alimony when it makes written findings that the payor has reached normal retirement age and has either retired or taken concrete steps toward retiring.2Justia Law. Florida Statutes 61.14 – Enforcement and Modification of Support, Maintenance, or Alimony Agreements or Orders
Normal retirement age means either the Social Security Administration’s full retirement age or the customary retirement age for the payor’s profession. Social Security full retirement age is 67 for anyone reaching age 62 in 2026.4Social Security Administration. What Is Full Retirement Age? Professions with earlier customary retirement ages, such as law enforcement or the military, can qualify for earlier modifications.
The statute says the court “may” modify, not “must.” A judge weighs the reasonableness of the retirement given the payor’s health, resources, and the effect on the recipient. Turning 67 and filing paperwork does not guarantee alimony ends.
Substantial Change in Circumstances
Either spouse can petition for modification or termination based on a substantial change in circumstances or financial ability. The statute lets courts adjust alimony “as equity requires” when conditions have shifted since the original award.2Justia Law. Florida Statutes 61.14 – Enforcement and Modification of Support, Maintenance, or Alimony Agreements or Orders
Courts require the change to be substantial, involuntary, and lasting. Voluntarily switching to a lower-paying job usually will not qualify. Changes that do hold up include permanent job loss, a disabling injury, or a major involuntary income cut on the payor’s side, and a significant income increase, inheritance, or achieved financial independence on the recipient’s side.
The person requesting the change carries the burden of proof. Judges are skeptical of payors who engineer their own income drops; quitting or deliberately underperforming to reduce earnings damages credibility fast.
Mutual Agreement Still Needs a Court Order
Ex-spouses who agree that alimony should end can submit a stipulated agreement to the court for approval. A handshake or a signed letter between the two of you is not enough. Without an order, the recipient can later claim arrears for the period payments were supposed to continue. Formalize it through the court even when the split is friendly.
Do Not Stop Paying Without a Court Order
This is where people get into serious trouble. Even if you are convinced alimony should have ended, whether because your ex is living with a new partner or because you lost your job, the original obligation stands until a court says otherwise. Unpaid amounts accumulate as arrears, and those arrears do not disappear if you later win a modification.
A recipient who is not being paid can move for contempt. The consequences escalate quickly: wage garnishment, seizure of tax refunds, credit damage, and, for willful nonpayment, jail. File first. Stop paying only when the court’s order lets you.