Alimony in Citrus County, Florida

The Citrus County Self-Help Center is inside the courthouse, on the third floor in Room 1-346. It reviews family law paperwork by appointment only, but staff cannot give legal advice about a case. You file an alimony request at that same Citrus County Courthouse in Inverness, as part of a dissolution case, using one of four self-represented packets the Clerk sells by pickup, mail, or phone order.

A Fifth Circuit judge in Citrus follows Fla. Stat. 61.08 in deciding what to award. The statute was reformed effective July 1, 2023, and it removed permanent alimony statewide. Four categories remain: temporary support paid while a case is pending, bridge-the-gap support capped at two years, rehabilitative support built around a specific plan and capped at five years, and durational support capped as a percentage of the marriage's length.

Durational alimony has a further cap: the lesser of demonstrated need or 35 percent of the income gap between the spouses. It is not available for marriages under three years. Citrus's dissolution filing fee is $408. Both spouses must also complete a Financial Affidavit, Form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income. The Self-Help Center can review that affidavit for procedural completeness by appointment, before a judge rules on alimony.

Citrus participates in the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which is mandatory for attorneys. Self-represented filers don't have to rely only on the statewide forms library; they can also use the Clerk's own packet system and the in-courthouse Self-Help Center.

Where alimony cases are heard in Citrus County, FL

Alimony matters in Citrus County, FL are handled by the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Citrus County, with the county seat in Inverness. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details for your case:

Find the Citrus County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

How alimony works in Florida

Florida ended permanent alimony in a 2023 reform to Florida Statutes chapter 61 (section 61.08). Today a judge can order bridge-the-gap alimony (short-term, to help a spouse transition, capped at two years), rehabilitative alimony (tied to a specific plan to become self-supporting), durational alimony (a set period, generally not longer than the length of the marriage, except in exceptional circumstances), or temporary alimony while the case is pending. There is no formula the way there is for child support; a judge weighs each spouse's need and ability to pay, the standard of living during the marriage, the length of the marriage, and the factors listed in section 61.08.

Alimony is requested inside a dissolution of marriage case, using each spouse's Financial Affidavit (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income), and can be resolved by agreement or decided at trial. Temporary alimony while the case is pending is requested by motion; your circuit's procedures determine how that motion gets set for hearing.

Local notes for Citrus County, FL

The Citrus Self-Help Center reviews forms only by appointment. Call (352) 341-6723 or email CitrusFamilySelfHelp@circuit5.org ahead of time; don't expect walk-in service on the day you file.

The Fifth Circuit includes Citrus along with Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties. Contested alimony issues there generally go to mediation under Fla. Stat. 61.183, with fees meant to follow the statewide sliding scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. No Citrus-specific fee table is published on a verifiable official page. Confirm the current cost with the Clerk's office.

Citrus sells four dissolution packets, built from statewide forms plus Fifth Circuit local forms. They can be ordered by mail or phone, not just picked up in person, which helps filers who can't easily get to the Inverness courthouse for an initial visit.

Official alimony resources in Citrus County, FL

Citrus County Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 110 North Apopka Avenue, Inverness 34450. Phone: (352) 341-6723.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Statewide portal; mandatory for attorneys. The Citrus Clerk also sells four self-represented dissolution packets built from Florida Supreme Court forms plus Fifth Circuit local forms, for pickup, mail, or phone order.

Fifth Judicial Circuit Citrus County Self-Help Center (https://www.circuit5.org/self-help-center/citrus-county-self-help-center/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located on the 3rd Floor, Room 1-346 of the Citrus County Courthouse; appointment-only (352-341-6723 or CitrusFamilySelfHelp@circuit5.org); reviews forms for procedural completeness but cannot give legal advice.

• Fifth Judicial Circuit Citrus County Self-Help Center
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Florida Statutes Section 61.08, Alimony
• FloridaLawHelp.org

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Citrus County, FL Alimony FAQs