Source: http://family-law.lawyers.com/blogs/archives/8395-the-role-of-the-marital-standard-of-living-in-determining-spousal-support.html
Timestamp: 2015-07-31 21:24:39
Document Index: 270792346

Matched Legal Cases: ['§4330', '§4320', '§4320', '§4330', '§4320', '§4320', '§4320', '§ 4320', '§4320', '§4320', '§4320', '§4320', '§4320', '§4332']

The Role of the Marital Standard of Living in Determining Spousal Support - Daniel Timothy Quane Family Law Blog on Lawyers.com
Daniel Timothy Quane Family Law Blog on Lawyers.com
Sunday, September 5, 2010 by
The Role of the Marital Standard of Living in Determining Spousal Support Cal. Fam.
Code §4330(a) states that a court may award spousal support in an amount and for a period
of time that is based on the standard of living established during marriage. The martial
standard of living is the base reference point from which the court analyzes the Cal. Fam.
Code §4320 circumstances in determining the amount and duration of spousal support. Marriage of Ostler & Smith (1990) 223 Cal.App.3d 33. Once the
marital standard of living has been established to serve as a reference point, the trial court must
consider the circumstances as set forth in Cal. Fam. Code §4320 in determining whether
to order permanent spousal support and setting the amount of permanent spousal support. Cal. Fam. Code §4330(a). If the court does not consider and weigh all the Cal.
Fam. Code §4320 factors, the order is reversible for abuse of discretion. Marriage
of Geraci (2006) 144 Cal.App.4th 1278. The Cal. Fam. Code §4320 factors are
given different weight depending upon the facts and circumstances of each case. The fourteen
Cal. Fam. Code §4320 circumstances are set forth in their full statutory text
below. Cal. Fam. Code § 4320. Determination of
amount due for support; considerations In ordering
spousal support under this part, the court shall consider all of the following circumstances:(a) The extent to which the earning capacity of each
party is sufficient to maintain the standard of living established during the marriage, taking into
account all of the following:(1) The
marketable skills of the supported party; the job market for those skills; the time and expenses
required for the supported party to acquire the appropriate education or
training to develop those skills; and the possible need for retraining or education to acquire
other, more marketable skills or employment.(2) The extent to which
the supported party's present or future earning capacity is impaired by periods of unemployment that
were incurred during the marriage to permit the supported party to devote time to domestic duties.(b) The extent to which the
supported party contributed to the attainment of an education, training, a career position, or a
license by the supporting party.(c) The ability of the supporting party to pay spousal support, taking into
account the supporting party's earning capacity, earned and unearned income, assets, and standard of
living.(d) The needs of
each party based on the standard of living established during the
marriage.(e) The
obligations and assets, including the separate property, of each party.(f) The duration of the marriage.(g) The ability of the
supported party to engage in gainful employment without unduly interfering with the interests of
dependent children in the custody of the party.(h) The age and health of the parties.(i) Documented evidence of any history of domestic
violence, as defined in Section 6211, between the parties, including, but not limited to,
consideration of emotional distress resulting from domestic violence perpetrated against the supported party by the supporting party, and
consideration of any history of violence against the supporting party by the supported party.(j) The immediate and specific tax consequences to
each party.(k) The balance of the hardships to
each party.(l) The goal that the supported party
shall be self-supporting within a reasonable period of time. Except in the case of a marriage of
long duration as described in Section 4336, a "reasonable period of time" for purposes of
this section generally shall be one-half the length of the marriage. However, nothing in this
section is intended to limit the court's discretion to order support for a greater or lesser length
of time, based on any of the other factors listed in this section, Section 4336, and the circumstances of the parties.(m) The criminal conviction
of an abusive spouse shall be considered in making a reduction or elimination of a spousal support
award in accordance with Section 4325.(n) Any other factors the court determines are just and equitable. The marital standard of living
is included in several of the Cal. Fam. Code §4320 factors in addition to being the base
reference point from which the court analyzes the Cal. Fam. Code §4320 factors.
? Cal. Fam. Code §4320(a): The extent to which the parties’ respective earning
capacities enable them to maintain the standard of living established during the marriage.? Cal. Fam.
Code §4320 (c): The supporting party’s ability to pay spousal support, taking
into account his or her standard of living.? Cal. Fam.
Code §4320(d): The parties’ needs based on the standard of living established
during marriage. The statutory
structure is drafted in this manner to codify the case law establishing that the marital standard of
living should be the court’s point of reference is setting the amount and duration of spousal
support. Marriage of Smith (1990) 225 Cal.App.3d 469. Cal. Fam. Code
§4332 requires the trial court to make specific factual findings with respect to the standard
of living during marriage whether or not requested to make such findings. The trial court
should award spousal support where the supported spouse is unable to maintain the marital standard
of living without payment from the payor spouse who is able to pay. The trial court should not
award spousal support to enable the spouse receiving payment to enjoy a lifestyle superior to the
marital standard of living. Also, the payor spouse should not be required to pay spousal
support simply to keep the payor spouse from enjoying a standard of living in excess of the marital
standard of living. The goal of spousal support is to allow the supported spouse to enjoy a
standard of living equal to the marital standard of living if possible. Marriage of
Hoffmeister (1987) 191 Cal.App.3d 351. Of course, in many instances both spouses will
enjoy a post-separation standard of living below the marital standard of living simply due to the
increased costs associated with maintaining two households. The Legislature
directs that the marital standard of living is the starting point for determining the amount and
duration of spousal support but no code section defines the marital standard of living. The
courts have held that “the marital standard of living is intended by the Legislature to mean
the general station in life enjoyed by the parities during their marriage.” Marriage
of Smith (1990) 225 Cal.App.3d 469. Trial courts
ordinarily look to actual expenditures made during marriage to determine the marital standard of
living. The court should also take into account the history of marital savings, which can be
viewed as future expenditures. The marital standard of living is equal to income if the
parties spend all of their available income. The marital standard of living is also equal to
income if the parties live beyond their mean by financing their marital lifestyle. A more
thorough analysis and presentation may be required in the event the parties did not spend all their
available income during marriage. The table below is an example of a presentation that should be
prepared to demonstrate the level of spousal support required to maintain the marital standard of
living.In re The Marriage of Doe Exhibit ISupported Spouse's Marital Standard of Living
Analysis Expense 
160; 
160; Annually MonthlyMortgage (statement
attached) &
60; $105,048.00 $8,754.00Property Taxes (statement
60; $28,404.00 $2,367.00Homeowner's
Insurance (statement
#160; ; $494.00 $41.17Homeowner's
Association Dues (statement
#160; ; $12,000.00 $1,000.00Home Maintenance (total of checks
paid year prior to
DOS) $900.00 
60; $75.00Home Repairs (total of checks paid
DOS) $12,500.00 $1,041.67Utilities (total paid
DOS) 
160; $8,376.00 $698.00Phone, Cable, Internet (total paid year prior to
0; $4,488.00 $374.00Automobile Expenses (total car payment, gas, service paid year prior to DOS)
$10,164.00 $847.00Health
60; $5,748.00 $479.00Unreimbursed Medical Expenses (total paid year prior to
DOS) $9,438.00 $78.00Food at Home (total year prior to
0; $11,760.00 $980.00Food
Eating Out (total year prior to
0; $13,296.00 $1,108.00Laundry (total year prior to
160; $2,904.00 $242.00Clothing (total year prior to
160; $4,416.00 $368.00Personal (total year prior to
160; $2,892.00 $241.00Fitness (total account withdrawals for
membership) ; 
60; $1,068.00 $89.00Entertainment (total year prior to
160; $3,252.00 $271.00Gifts (total year prior to
160; $3,036.00 $253.00Vacations (total year prior to
160; $10,140.00 &#
160; $845.00Charitable Contributions (average
from last three years income tax returns) $3,500.00 $291.67Savings, Investment, Retirement (total contributions year prior to
DOS) $52,000.00 $4,333.33Federal
and State Income Taxes (CPA estimate on support
requested) $27,360.00 $2,280.00TOTAL
EXPENSES &#
160; $333,184.00 $27,056.83(Supported Spouses Current
Earnings) &
60; -$69,458.00 -$5,788.17(Investment
Income) 
60; -$14,246.00 -$1,187.17Spousal Support Necessary to Replicate
MSOL 
0; $249,480.00 $20,081.50 &
#160; The amount of spousal support calculated as necessary to maintain the marital standard of
living is moot if the supporting spouse does not earn income sufficient to pay. An exhibit
should be prepared to present to the court to establish the supporting spouse’s earned income
to demonstrate his or her ability to pay the support necessary to maintain the marital standard of
living. In cases where one spouse is the sole wage earner, the same table can also be evidence
of the marital standard of living. The table below is an example of an exhibit prepared to
demonstrate to the court the supporting spouse’s ability to pay spousal support in an amount
necessary to maintain the marital standard of living. In re The Marriage of Doe Exhibit IISupporting Spouse's Earned Income(Income
derived from tax returns)Year 
#160; ; 2003 
0; 2004 2005 ; 2006 
0; 2007Wages and
Salary 
0; $729,468.00 $758,634.00 $742,587.00 $814,004.00 $894,325.00Other Income:Interest &#
160; $928.00 $1,577.00 $1,622.00 $1,588.00 $2,248.00Dividends &
#160; ; $22,671.00 $24,789.00 $26,874.00 $21,957.00 $29,824.00Capital Gain
(Loss) 
0; -$3,000.00 -$3,000.00 -$3,000.00 -$3,000.00 -$3,000.00Other Gain
0; $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Rents, Royalties,
#160; $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 ;$0.00 Subtotal
Income 
0; $750,067.00 $782,000.00 $768,083.00 $834,549.00 $923,397.00Adjustments to
Contributions 
60; $62,000.00 $80,000.00 $84,000.00 $88,000.00 $90,000.00 Less: Capital
Gains ; $3,000.00 $3,000.00 $3,000.00 $3,000.00 $3,000.00 Less: Other Gain
0; $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Subtotal
Adjustments ; $65,000.00 $83,000.00 $87,000.00 $91,000.00 $93,000.00Total
160; $815,067.00 $865,000.00 $855,083.00 $925,549.00 $1,016,397.00Avg Monthly
0; $67,922.25 $72,083.33 $71,256.92 $77,129.08 $84,699.755 Year AverageAnnual $895,419.20Monthly $62,181.894 Year AverageAnnual $915,507.25Monthly $76,292.273 Year AverageAnnual $932,343.00Monthly $77,695.25 There are
exceptions to the general rule of looking at marital expenditures plus marital savings to determine
the marital standard of living where the marital standard of living was unreasonable. The
court should focus on what a reasonable marital standard of living would have been in the case where
the parties’ marital standard of living was unreasonable. The trial courts have
discretion is this area and may adjust spousal support up or down depending upon what is determined
to be the reasonable marital standard of living but nothing compels them to so act. The marital
standard of living may have been unreasonably high where the parties lived off of excessive credit,
one or both parties worked excessive overtime or second jobs, or where the marital lifestyle was
financed by assets. The parties should present evidence of what the marital standard of living
should have been had the parties not borrowed excessively or worked excessive hours. However,
the trial court may order the supporting spouse to pay support congruent with an excessive marital
standard of living by ordering the supporting spouse to continue to liquidate assets to fund the
high standard of living. The marital
standard of living may have been unreasonably low where the parties suppressed their lifestyle to
allow one or both parties to complete their education, or due to gambling or substance abuse
issues. The court may order spousal support in excess of that necessary to finance the marital
standard of living where the former student spouse becomes employed or where the former gambler or
substance abuser recovers. Also, the trial court may order spousal support in an amount above
that necessary to fund the marital standard of living where the parties enjoyed an upwardly mobile
standard of living due to community efforts. Daniel T. Quane,
Esq. is an attorney with the Family Trusts and Estates Law Group, Danville, California. Our vision
brings together a team of highly experienced and distinguished family, trust and estate attorneys
all of whom deliver specialized knowledge, strategic insight and tactical planning. Since 1984
we have dedicated ourselves to this mission. We are very proud of our five attorneys and our
talented support team which includes California State Bar Certified Family Law Specialists,
brilliant staff attorneys, and committed and experienced Certified Paralegals and technical
staff. We practice our profession with integrity, strength and commitment to our
clients. FamilyTrustsandEstates.com925-314-2335 Posted at 15:05 PM
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