Posted on 06/26/2011 2:10:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Drivers in Polk County are used to seeing roadside billboards promoting the Florida Lottery.
One is a bit different.
There's a small billboard on State Road 60 near Lake Wales bringing attention to what the sign's owner calls "the alimony lottery."
The 4-foot-by-8-foot sign, which Steve Hoye erected last year on his property about a mile west of U.S. 27, broadcasts the message: "STOP PERMANENT ALIMONY."
It provides contact information for Florida Alimony Reform Inc., a group that promotes changes to the state's alimony laws.
Hoye, who said his ex-wife initiated a divorce that became final in 2007, said he now pays $960 a month in alimony and has gone into debt as the result of that financial obligation and court costs.
"The Florida court system has its hooks in me for the rest of my life, as long as my (ex-)wife is alive," said Hoye, 57, the Polk County representative for Florida Alimony Reform.
Alimony requiring one member of a divorcing couple to provide ongoing financial support to the other is based on two main factors: One party's need and the other's ability to pay.
Florida Alimony Reform claims that 8 percent of the nation's alimony payers live in Florida.
The group criticizes Florida's alimony system on multiple points.
It says men are unfairly burdened by alimony orders, and it claims the system rewards ex-spouses for not working.
The alliance seeks new laws that would set stricter guidelines for alimony awards, set a maximum percentage of income to be paid, reduce the discretion of judges and end lifetime alimony obligations.
It draws upon the approach of Steve Hitner, a Massachusetts print-shop owner whose advocacy has that state on verge of adopting an alimony overhaul.
FINDING ‘HORROR STORIES'
Though the vast majority of alimony payers are men, the Florida group includes women such as Susan Jordan, a Cocoa resident who said her first husband grew so discouraged by court-mandated alimony payments he killed himself in 2003.
"What's currently going on in the state of Florida, it's morally incorrect," said Jordan, whose second husband pays alimony to his previous wife.
Jordan said 70 percent of divorces are initiated by women, yet 97 percent of those who pay alimony are men.
Ramona Blankinship, a Lakeland lawyer who practices family law, said men still make more on average than women and wives are much more likely than husbands to give up careers to raise children.
Jordan, the executive director of Florida Alimony Reform, is compiling "horror stories," including Hoye's.
Hoye was the married father of three living in Illinois when an offer of a job with a friend's moving company brought him to Florida in 2001. He said he now thinks his ex-wife, who was enthusiastic about the move, had learned of Florida's liberal alimony laws and had her mind set on divorcing once the family established residency here.
Hoye, who was married 16 years, said a family law judge granted his ex-wife control of 33 rental units Hoye had acquired in Lake Wales and ordered him to begin alimony payments, later made permanent.
Now working as a long-haul truck driver, Hoye said the divorce litigation cost him $90,000, including $36,000 in his ex-wife's lawyer fees.
He said he owes his father tens of thousands of dollars.
The advocates' ultimate goal is an end to permanent alimony. Jordan said such obligations essentially prevent men from ever being able to retire.
Florida Alimony Reform's website includes a "2nd Wives Club" forum for people like Jordan.
She said women in Florida often successfully petition for increased alimony when their ex-husbands remarry, a scenario in which Jordan said the second wife's income goes to support the husband's previous wife.
LAWS ARE CHANGING
The Florida Legislature in the 2011 session passed a law forbidding alimony terms in which the recipient's net income significantly exceeds the payer's.
The law, incorporating a bill filed in the Florida House by Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, also expands the range of factors family law judges may consider in setting alimony terms.
Hoye said he appreciates the intentions behind the new law, but he said the language is too vague to have much real effect.
Stargel, though, said it's too soon to pass judgment.
"Let's see how this works, and then we can determine from there," Stargel said. "I wouldn't want to make too sweeping of changes. Let's see if this works and meets the goal of making sure people are adequately provided for, but not to the significant burden of one of the parties."
A man ordered to make alimony payments may appeal a judge's ruling, but Jordan said that's an expensive process with a low likelihood of success.
Alimony laws allow either party to petition for modification.
Hoye complains that women are often awarded increases in alimony payments.
Reform advocates also complain that women often receive increases in alimony as soon as the couple's shared offspring reached adulthood and child-support payments end.
SEEKING GUIDELINES
The reform group's legislative agenda includes a push for binding guidelines on family law judges similar to the formula used to establish child-support payments.
In such cases, the court plugs seven sets of figures — including incomes and day-care costs — into a calculation that produces a monthly obligation.
Blankinship questioned the possibility of developing an alimony calculator.
"I just don't know how you would do it," she said.
"It's just not a total income-based calculation like it is with child support. There are so many other factors that go into the decision."
Yes it does. Also rewards ex-spouses for shacking up instead of re-marrying.
It is the liberal court judges who assume that women are ALWAYS the victim.
I was divorced by my wife of 20 years in 1997. I didn’t see it coming. Fortunately my youngest was 10 and I got custody of her at 15. Still, my “maintenance” and child support reached $3700 a month at one point. But it ended about 5 years ago. If I was a young man today., and I thought we were at risk of getting a divorce, my first act BEFORE it starts is to try to move to Texas. Second act is to hide money. Once she goes for it, the third is to leave the country. I’m not kidding. If I had it to do all over again I would be in mexico still. Or Honduras, actually.
Yes, the system is that blatantly unfair. It is literally slavery and I will do everything within my power to avoid it.
Huh? Never heard of permanent alimony. My sister was married for 26 years when her husband left, and he was ordered to pay her alimony for two years so she could finish her degree, although the amount was only $150 per month. Hardly a win fall for her after supporting him through his college and career advancement.
Of all the people I have know who have gotten divorced I do not know a single woman who came out the financial winner.
How unfair of those hard-heated legislators to do that to these poor(?) women!!! </sarcasm>
“The Florida court system has its hooks in me for the rest of my life, as long as my (ex-)wife is alive,” said Hoye, 57, the Polk County representative for Florida Alimony Reform.
If I was this guy I’d make sure every second of my time is accounted for. If his ex ends up dead from anything remotely suspicious, he’s in trouble.
Why go to Texas?
Your social circle must be limited. Most women who have good jobs and are divorced from men with good jobs profit.
Just ask my ex-wife. My child support is play money to her, and she has said as much.
I didn’t get alimony, didn’t even try for it...but I was given an award for child support. 2 kids, a total due of $150 a month, and he hasn’t paid for amost 10 years.
On FR the women are always at fault and always take more than they get.
This is about FL. Laws vary state-by-state but I think you’ve been fed a line. It doesn’t sound like you read the full article; it’s worth doing.
Because it is a community property state. Spouses split all income 50/50 during a marriage, but there is no alimony.
No alimony. There is temp emergency alimony, but Texas assumes women are equal.
I didn’t get or try for alimony, either. My child support is a little bit more than $150 a month for two children (one of whom is disabled), but out of what he makes, it barely makes a dent. He cut his hours to part-time when we were figuring child support, and no-one questioned it, despite 5 years of tax returns showing a different history.
I’ve never heard of permanent alimony (spousal support in my state.)
Permanent alimony is not uncommon. In many states, marriage for 20 years almost automatically allows for it.
As the article says, in Florida (and many other states) there are only two criteria for alimony; first, a discrepancy in income, and, second, ability to pay. Whether it becomes permanent or not usually depends on the length of the marriage and whether or not the spouse receiving alimony remarries.
I didn’t get or try for alimony, either. My child support is a little bit more than $150 a month for two children (one of whom is disabled), but out of what he makes, it barely makes a dent. He cut his hours to part-time when we were figuring child support, and no-one questioned it, despite 5 years of tax returns showing a different history.
I’ve never heard of permanent alimony (spousal support in my state.)
I don’t believe in divorce, and my wife knows that if she tries to take me to divorce court, I will skip the country with my money just to spite her.
It’s only because I love her, and I believe in Christ’s commandments more than some stupid personal issues.
That’s because they almost always are the ones who file for divorce. they are backed up by laws that do not penalize them no matter WHY they do it.
And although the highest paid professions are choked with women,, (law, medicine, pharmacy, accounting, etc,,) they still have laws that assume they are like June Cleaver with no ability to support themselves.
No man in his right mind would marry today. Stand in front of a religious leader, swear your eternal love, mean it, take her on a wonderful trip, buy her jewelry,,,,, but avoid that bizzare one sided contract the government calls “marriage”’
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