Alimony is money paid by one spouse to another for support and to help with expenses. In the state of Missouri, alimony is now referred to as MAINTENANCE. Unlike child support, there is not a form to tell someone whether maintenance will be paid, or how much. It is completely discretionary with the Court. However, there are some factors to help determine whether maintenance will be paid and for how long: 1. The length of the marriage-- the longer the marriage, the more like