Alimony, which is called “maintenance” in the state of Missouri, is an award made by the court requiring one spouse to provide financial assistance to the other spouse after divorce. This is support for the spouse and is distinct from child support. There is no specific formula for deciding if one spouse will get alimony, but Missouri statutes outline the general requirements a court must follow when deciding on an award of maintenance. First, the court will determine if the spouse seeking maintenance has a need for it in light of his or her property and income. The first [...]

In an action for dissolution of marriage or legal separation, the Court may grant maintenance (also commonly known as alimony or spousal support) to either spouse in order to assist that spouse in meeting his or her living expenses. The Court can only grant maintenance if it first finds that the spouse seeking maintenance is unable to meet his or her own reasonable needs, either through property or appropriate employment. If the spouse seeking maintenance meets this threshold, the Court then considers a list of factors, including the financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, the comparative earning capacity [...]

As this blog has discussed on a previous occasion, courts in Missouri can and often will order one spouse to pay another periodic sums in order to balance out the relative economic earning power of a couple who is coming out of a divorce or permanent separation. These spousal maintenance payments, also commonly referred to as alimony, get decided based on a number of factors. Sometimes, a Kansas City resident may wish to agree to pay alimony as part of a negotiation in exchange for some other benefits. At other times, the opposite is true, and someone who is otherwise likely [...]

Not every divorce will result in a Missouri court awarding spousal maintenance. Spousal maintenance is also called alimony or spousal support and is the payment of money from one ex-partner to the other for after their divorce is finalized. This post will examine some of the important factors that courts can use to decide if spousal maintenance is appropriate. First, a court will look at whether a person asking for spousal maintenance is able to take care of themselves based on the property and income. If a person has not worked outside of the home because they have focused their attention [...]