Section 504 of the IMDMA requires the Court to consider the following factors when determining if a party should receive maintenance from his or her spouse:
- The income and property of each party;
- The needs of each party;
- The realistic present and future earning capacity of each party;
- Any impairment of the present and future earning capacity of the party seeking maintenance due to that party devoting time to domestic duties or having foregone or delayed education, training, employment, or career opportunities;
- Any impairment of the realistic present or future earning capacity of the party against whom maintenance is sought;
- The time necessary to enable the party seeking maintenance to acquire appropriate education, training, and employment, and whether that party is able to support himself or herself through appropriate employment or any parental responsibility arrangements and its effect on the party seeking employment;
- The standard of living established during the marriage;
- The duration of the marriage;
- The age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities, and the needs of each of the parties;
- All sources of public and private income, including, without limitation, disability and retirement income;
- The tax consequences of the property division upon the respective economic circumstances of the parties;
- Contributions and services by the party seeking maintenance to the education, training, career or career potential, or license of the other spouse;
- Any valid agreement of the parties; and
- Any other factor that the Court expressly finds to be just and equitable.