Case Name: Sue S. LEVIN, Appellant/Cross-Appellee, v. David H. LEVIN, Appellee/Cross-Appellant
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1999-11-22
Citations: 745 So. 2d 1077
Docket Number: No. 98-3114
Parties: Sue S. LEVIN, Appellant/Cross-Appellee, v. David H. LEVIN, Appellee/Cross-Appellant.
Judges: LAWRENCE, J., concurs
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 745
Pages: 1077–1082

Head Matter:
Sue S. LEVIN, Appellant/Cross-Appellee, v. David H. LEVIN, Appellee/Cross-Appellant.
No. 98-3114.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Nov. 22, 1999.
E. Jane Brehany, Pensacola, for Appel-lani/Cross-Appellee.
Louis K. Rosenbloum of Louis K. Ro-senbloum, P.A., Pensacola; T. Sol Johnson of Johnson, Green & Miller, Milton, for Appellee/Cross-Appellant.

Opinion:
BROWNING, J.
We affirm, without further comment, five of the eight issues raised in this appeal and cross-appeal from a final judgment of dissolution of marriage. As to the remaining issues, all of which were raised by the appellant/cross-appellee wife, we reverse and remand the trial court's failure to require the appellee/cross-appellant husband, under section 61.08(3), Florida Statutes (1995), to secure the alimony award through a life insurance policy, or otherwise secure such alimony owed with other assets. We clarify and affirm the judgment in regard to the absence of a payment schedule for the promissory note the husband executed and owed to the wife. Finally, we reverse the $20,000 lump sum alimony award.
Turning first to the trial court's failure to require security for the alimony award, the wife requested that the husband be directed to secure the alimony award by maintaining a life insurance policy in her favor; however, the trial court's order failed to address this issue. The circumstances in this case are even more compelling than those in Sasnett v. Sasnett, 679 So.2d 1265 (Fla. 2d DCA 1996), to justify such an award. Consequently, we conclude that the trial court abused its discretion by failing to grant the wife's request to secure the alimony award through a life insurance policy, or to otherwise secure such alimony award with other assets, and we remand with directions to grant her request. In making such determination the trial court shall consider wife's life expectancy, husband's insurabili ty, husband's present insurance coverage that can be designated to secure wife's alimony payments, other assets that might be appropriately utilized to secure wife's alimony, and the present value of the secured amount to be paid to the wife in case of husband's death.
Regarding the issue that the trial court erred in not establishing a payment schedule for the promissory note due from the husband to the wife, the final judgment recited that the wife was entitled to a non-interest bearing, one-year note as her separate, nonmarital property. It also required either party not in possession of personal property awarded to them to make arrangements within 20 days from the judgment to take possession of such property, and it directed the parties to cooperate in the exchange of the personal property. We construe the final judgment as requiring the husband to pay the wife the monies represented by the promissory note, which were due and owing at the time the judgment was entered, within 20 days thereafter. Based on this construction we affirm.
As to the wife's contention that the amount of lump sum alimony awarded was inadequate the standard of review is abuse of discretion. See Canakaris v. Canakaris, 382 So.2d 1197 (Fla.1980).
Awards of lump sum alimony are authorized under section 61.08, Florida Statutes (1995). As explained in Cana-karis, lump sum alimony can be awarded in several instances. First, it may be awarded as a nonalimony property interest, that is, a special equity acquired by one spouse in the marital or nonmarital property of the other. Second, it can be allowed as a support payment, that is, alimony paid in one sum when the equities of the case justify a lump sum award. Third, it may be provided to ensure an equitable distribution of property acquired during the marriage, provided the evidence reflects justification for the lump sum award and financial ability to pay. Id. at 1200-01.
We conclude the trial court awarded the wife lump sum alimony for support, and we review on that basis. We so conclude because the parties' prenuptial agreement does not address alimony, but makes provision for other familial rights acquired as a result of the parties' marriage.
Entitlement to alimony is based upon the need of the requesting spouse, and the ability of the responding spouse to pay. Id. at 1201. The need of the spouse requesting alimony is measured by the standard of living established by the parties during their marriage. Pirino v. Pirino, 525 So.2d 1028 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988).
The ability of the husband to financially provide for the needs of the wife cannot be disputed. Husband's net worth is $5,133,507. During the parties' marriage husband earned from his highly successfully law practice between $282,000 and $1,800,000 per year. When other income of the husband is considered the record shows he never earned less than $451,000 a year during the parties' marriage. Thus, husband's ability to pay is not an issue, only the wife's reasonable needs, measured by the standard of living enjoyed by the parties during their marriage.
The parties were married on August 15, 1985, and during their marriage maintained an opulent standard of living. They traveled extensively, and stayed in luxury hotels such as the Westin and Ritz Carlton, and indulged in the more expensive and finer things of life. The wife exercised unfettered spending authority. The parties employed two (2) full-time maids and one (1) full-time gardener. They furnished their home with the most expensive furniture and fixtures. After the husband and wife married, husband spent $191,000, to remodel his existing home to accommodate wife's children from her former marriage. Their former marital residence, sole property of husband, is valued by him on his financial affidavit at $750,000. Needless to say the parties' standard of living approximated the level that most people dream of achieving, but seldom do.
Wife is totally dependent upon alimony payments she is to receive from husband. Wife is fifty-two years of age, and admittedly has little wage earning capacity. The trial court awarded wife $5,000 per month alimony, and that amount is not contested. The alimony award is based upon wife's actual expenses after her separation from husband rather than her anticipated expenses. Conspicuously absent from this monthly award is any amount with which the wife can be expected to acquire suitable housing even remotely approximating the accommodations furnished her during marriage. But the wife is entitled to receive an amount of alimony sufficient to secure suitable living quarters, and the trial court failed to make such an award.
The trial court apparently addressed wife's relocation needs, which include housing, by an award of lump sum alimony' of $20,000. However, $20,000, taken with wife's periodic alimony, is woefully inadequate to provide any semblance of the housing to which the wife became accustomed during the marriage, and which the husband has the present ability to provide. Because of this deficiency we conclude the trial court abused its discretion and erred by not providing a larger amount of lump sum alimony with which the wife could secure suitable living accommodations. Canakaris. Accordingly, we remand on this issue for a determination by the trial court of an award of an amount of lump sum alimony that will enable the wife to acquire suitable living accommodations. The amount shall be determined by the trial court by considering wife's present needs, the housing to which wife became accustomed during the parties' marriage, the husband's ability to pay and other relevant factors.
AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part, and REMANDED for future proceedings.
LAWRENCE, J., concurs
ERVIN, J., concurs and dissents with opinion.