Spousal Support Award Based on Marital Standard of Living and Recipient Self-Sufficiency

The appellant challenged a lower court order requiring spousal support payments, arguing the awarded amount exceeded the "due maintenance" based on the former marital standard of living. The court affirmed that a right to maintenance exists only to the extent a spouse cannot finance their due maintenance, measured against the last marital standard, from their own resources. Given the recipient spouse's ability to increase her income, which, barring increased costs for separate households, must lead to a financial relief for the paying spouse, the recipient's self-sufficiency under the relevant statute takes precedence, though a right to save should remain if the recipient contributes substantially to the income.