This is a question which is often asked in family law cases. In Missouri, alimony (“spousal support”) is referred to as maintenance. A party may be entitled to maintenance if he or she does not have sufficient income or assets to provide for his or her own support. Unlike child support, which is calculated by the Form 14, there is no set formula for determining the amount of maintenance a party will receive.
The determination of the maintenance amount is within the discretion of the judge and varies from judge to judge. The statute sets out factors that the judge must consider including the needs of the party requesting maintenance, the ability of the paying party to pay maintenance and meet his or her own needs, the length of the marriage, the parties’ standard of living during the marriage, and the conduct of the parties.
For questions about alimony, and family law matters, reach out to one of the Sandberg Phoenix family law attorneys.
