Maintenance / Alimony Modification

Spousal maintenance or alimony awards are often modifiable. What this means is that if there is a change in circumstances (e.g., income) bewteen the parties after the maintenance is originally entered, then a subsequent motion to modify maintenance can be filed to appropriately change the amount, duration and/or frequency of the maintenance. 
Under Section 452.370.1, RSMo, modification of maintenance specifically requires a showing of changed circumstances so substantial and continuing as to make the terms of the divorce decree unreasonable. This standard is strict to discourage recurrent and insubstantial motions for modification. Sanders v. Sanders, 797 S.W.2d 874, 876 (Mo. Ct. App. 1990). The burden of proving the requisite substantial and continuing change rests with the moving party requesting the maintenance modification. Mendelsohn v. Mendelsohn, 787 S.W.2d 321, 323 (Mo. Ct. App. 1990). 

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