Opinion ID: 1844854
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Husband's Earning Capacity

Text: The record indicates that Wife's education and employment background limit any potential future employment to minimum wage positions. The record further reveals that her income from sales of cosmetics has been minimal. In contrast, Husband has been both an insurance agent and a realtor. His janitorial business consists of only one account, but he has been bidding for other accounts. The business has had up to four or five active accounts. Husband also earns approximately $6,360 per year from his school district work. Husband argues that because he is thirteen years older than Wife and is rapidly approaching the age of retirement, his earning capacity is no better than Wife's. This argument ignores the respective educational and employment backgrounds of the parties, as well as Wife's medical problems. Even in the absence of Wife's medical problems, the evidence in the record is sufficient to support the trial court's finding that Husband's earning capacity significantly exceeded Wife's, and we cannot say it was clearly erroneous.