If there are children involved, one of the biggest issues in a divorce may be child support or custody. If there are no children involved, then alimony is likely the biggest trigger. Florida has been known for having the most lenient and outdated alimony laws.

That is now changing. Florida was one of just seven states with permanent alimony. Gov. Ron DeSantis has worked hard to overhaul the state’s alimony laws and the Sunshine State is now putting an end to lifelong alimony payments. The law became effective on July 5.

While payers are celebrating, of course, some people are in an uproar over the approval. Members of the “First Wives Advocacy Group” are upset over the ban on permanent alimony. This group consists of mostly older women who receive permanent alimony. They claim their lives will change drastically without the payments, and they will suffer financial devastation.

The effort to do away with permanent alimony has been many years in the making. It has been a highly contentious issue, spurring pleas from ex-spouses who said they had been forced to work long past retirement age because they had to make alimony payments.

The bill’s passing got the approval of The Florida Bar’s Family Law Section and Florida Family Fairness. According to Florida Family Fairness, anything that “adds clarity and ends permanent alimony is a win for Florida families.”