Nominal maintenance is spousal maintenance paid by one person to another by virtue of being or previously being married. This is normally a penny or a pound a year. Whilst this does not seem a significant amount, the claims of the recipient for income from the payer remain open until the term of the nominal maintenance comes to an end. This means that the recipient could apply to the Court for an increase in the amount of the spousal maintenance. Further the recipient could apply for the spousal maintenance to be capitalised in the event that this could be afforded.