Bill > HB242

This bill modifies Missouri's laws regarding domestic relations, specifically focusing on spousal maintenance (alimony) during divorce proceedings. The bill introduces new provisions that categorize maintenance into three types: bridge, rehabilitative, and durational maintenance, each with specific guidelines and time limitations. It emphasizes that every spouse has a continuing duty to become self-supporting after marriage dissolution, and maintenance is not intended to be an open-ended or guaranteed income. The bill establishes different maintenance duration limits based on the length of the marriage: for marriages lasting 3-10 years, maintenance can't exceed 50% of the marriage's length; for 10-20 year marriages, up to 60%; and for marriages of 20 years or more, up to 75%. Bridge maintenance is limited to two years for short-term marriages, rehabilitative maintenance is capped at four years to help a spouse develop employment skills, and durational maintenance is designed to provide for life necessities established during moderate or long-term marriages. The bill also allows courts to exceed these limits in exceptional circumstances, such as substantial hardship or inability to become self-supporting, and requires specific written findings for such extensions. Additionally, the bill provides flexibility for parties to negotiate maintenance terms and sets August 28, 2025, as the effective date for applying these new standards.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB242&year=2025&code=R