Case Name: Carol PUGLIA and the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Appellants, v. Albert PUGLIA, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1992-05-26
Citations: 600 So. 2d 484
Docket Number: No. 91-1264
Parties: Carol PUGLIA and the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Appellants, v. Albert PUGLIA, Appellee.
Judges: Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and COPE and GERSTEN, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 600
Pages: 484–487

Head Matter:
Carol PUGLIA and the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Appellants, v. Albert PUGLIA, Appellee.
No. 91-1264.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
May 26, 1992.
Melvin A. Rubin, Miami, for appellants.
No Appearance for appellee.
Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and COPE and GERSTEN, JJ.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Appellants, Carol Puglia (Mother), and the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS), appeal an order granting credits against arrearages for unpaid child support owed by Appellee, Albert Puglia (Father). We reverse and remand.
The parties divorced in 1983. In the divorce settlement agreement, the father agreed to pay $50.00 weekly as child support. The payments were not made in a timely manner, and the mother instituted several actions to collect the child support arrearages.
In the latest action, the mother sought a judgment for arrearages of $12,650.00, and requiring payments of $100.00 per week to be deducted from the father's income. The father disputed the amount of arrearages, contending that he should be credited for the time the child spent with him during summer vacations.
The Hearing Officer recommended a credit of $4,424.00 towards the arrearages:
Said sum represents credit for the time the minor child spent with the Respondent during summer visitation.
The trial court entered an order crediting the father and ordering weekly payments of $53.98.
Support obligations accruing under a court order in a domestic case become vested rights of the payee and vested obligations of the payor which are not subject to retroactive modifications. Larger v. Diaz, 595 So.2d 1092 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992); Onley v. Onley, 540 So.2d 880 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989).
The right to the previously determined child support vests at the time the payments are due:
The law is well established that the right of a wife to payment of child support in arrears is vested, and while it is within the discretion of the court to refrain from holding the husband in contempt for nonpayment, the wife is entitled to enforcement of the payment by legal process.
Guarino v. Guarino, 431 So.2d 189 (Fla. 2d DCA), review dismissed, 441 So.2d 632 (Fla.1983).
Generally, child support payments may be modified only prospectively through a modification of the child support agreement. See Smithwick v. Smithwick, 343 So.2d 945 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977). Credits towards child support arrearages have the appearance of a retroactive modification, and if so, constitute error. Ragan v. Thomas, 515 So.2d 405 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987).
Appellee sought credits for weeks the child resided with him. Although the father could have sought modification of the child support order in advance, he did not do so. Having failed to do so, it is too late to seek this remedy retroactively. Parrish v. Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services, 525 So.2d 1029 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988); Kolb v. Kolb, 502 So.2d 518 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987); Raybuck v. Raybuck, 451 So.2d 540 (Fla. 2d DCA 1984).
Although the law is clear that the mother is entitled to a judgment on the entire amount of the arrearages, the trial court may give the father an opportunity to pay the arrearages at a prescribed payment schedule. Guarino v. Guarino, 431 So.2d at 190; Goff v. Goff, 151 So.2d 294 (Fla. 3d DCA 1963). However, the failure to enter a judgment for the entire amount due constitutes error. Roffe v. Roffe, 404 So.2d 1095 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981).
Finally, the trial court ordered that $53.98 be deducted from the father's income. Since it appears that the father is not voluntarily paying the previously ordered $50.00 per week, the $53.98 would only apply $3.98 towards the arrearages.
A trial court has discretion as to the manner in which the arrearage is to be repaid. Leone v. Weed, 474 So.2d 401 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985). Smithwick v. Smithwick, 343 So.2d 945 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977). However, the trial court is to consider the pay- or's ability to pay when determining the monthly amount. Ashe v. Ashe, 509 So.2d 1146 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987).
We note that at the present rate it would take the father over 60 years to repay the arrearages. However, the record is silent regarding the father's ability to pay. Therefore, we reverse the award of credits for past visitation periods and the failure to enter judgment for the total amount due. We remand for a determination of the father's ability to pay and a concomitant order for a reasonable payment schedule.
Reversed and remanded.
SCHWARTZ, C.J., and GERSTEN, J., concur.
. There is a narrow exception to this general rule:
In the absence of some showing — which was not present here — that a payment to or on behalf of the child served to discharge a duty of support encompassed by the order in question, e.g., Tash v. Oesterle, 380 So.2d 1316 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980), and cases cited, such a payment, if unilaterally made without authority of court, cannot serve to discharge or reduce the requirements of the non-custodial parent. [Citations omitted].
Onley v. Onley, 540 So.2d at 880, 881. Appellee did not meet that narrow exception.