Opinion ID: 1198886
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: spousal maintenance award

Text: The magistrate judge awarded Frosty spousal maintenance for a total period of eleven years. Pursuant to the award, William is to pay Frosty maintenance in the amount of $7,500 per month for six years, and thereafter, $6,500 per month for five years. William does not contest that Frosty is entitled to an award of spousal maintenance. Rather, William argues that there is not substantial and competent evidence in the record to support the magistrate judge's findings as to the duration and the amount of the spousal maintenance award. After a divorce is decreed, a court may grant a spouse an award of maintenance if the spouse: (1) lacks sufficient property to provide for his or her reasonable needs, and (2) is unable to support himself or herself through employment. I.C. § 32-705(1). The court's award of maintenance should be in an amount and for a duration that the court deems just after considering all relevant factors, which may include: (a) The financial resources of the spouse seeking maintenance, including the marital property apportioned to said spouse, and said spouse's ability to meet his or her needs independently; (b) The time necessary to acquire sufficient education and training to enable the spouse seeking maintenance to find employment; (c) The duration of the marriage; (d) The age and the physical and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance; (e) The ability of the spouse from whom maintenance is sought to meet his or her needs while meeting those of the spouse seeking maintenance; (f) The tax consequences to each spouse; (g) The fault of either party. I.C. § 32-705(2). When determining a spouse's reasonable needs, the court is to take into account the standard of living established during the marriage. Campbell v. Campbell, 120 Idaho 394, 404, 816 P.2d 350, 360 (Ct.App.1991) (citations omitted). In calculating Frosty's spousal maintenance award, the magistrate judge made reference to I.C. § 32-705, and discussed in detail the factors he considered in determining the duration and the amount of the award. Although the magistrate judge did not explain how he reached the specific figures for the amount and the duration of the award, the judge did provide sufficient findings to indicate a basis for those decisions. Further, the cases in Idaho indicate that we may disregard the trial court's failure to state specific reasons in support of its decision as to the amount and the duration of a spousal maintenance award, if the reasons are clear from a reading of the record. With respect to the duration of the spousal maintenance award, the record reveals that Frosty's education and skills are minimal, and she would like to obtain an architectural degree. The record also contains evidence that Frosty is not in a position emotionally to begin work or school immediately. Although the record does not contain specific evidence as to how long it will take Frosty to obtain her degree, there is evidence that even once Frosty begins her education, she will not be able to attend school full-time for several years because she needs to care for the two children. We find that the record contains substantial and competent evidence to support the magistrate judge's finding that William should pay Frosty spousal maintenance for a period of eleven years. With respect to the amount of the spousal maintenance award, the record contains only a summary from Frosty of her reasonable and necessary monthly expenses, along with her testimony explaining it. It is largely uncontroverted that Frosty's monthly expenses total over $9,000 per month. William argues on appeal that there is no basis for some of the expenses, that they are exaggerated and that they are already paid by the child support payments he is making. Despite William's disagreement with Frosty's expenses, there is nevertheless, substantial and competent evidence to support those expenses, and that she is unable to pay those expenses without substantial assistance from William. William also argues that expenses for tithing and savings should not be included. The magistrate judge specifically said he was not including those items in determining the proper amount of maintenance. We do not expect mathematical precision in calculating to the dollar how much maintenance is required, nor must the record support a specific amount. There must simply be substantial and competent evidence which provides a basis for the amount awarded. We find the record supports the award in this case in the amounts of $7,500 and $6,500. In conclusion, even though the magistrate judge did not specify how he calculated the duration and the amount of Frosty's spousal maintenance award, we affirm the magistrate judge's decision because the record contains substantial and competent evidence to support the magistrate judge's findings as to the duration and the amount of the award.