Opinion ID: 887711
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: District Court's award of maintenance to Liz

Text: ¶34 Lastly, Jim maintains that the District Court's award of maintenance was inequitable and was not supported by substantial evidence. As noted above, the District Court awarded $750.00 in monthly maintenance to Liz for a period of five years. Section 40-4-203, MCA, defines the circumstances under which a court may award maintenance following a dissolution proceeding. It provides in relevant part: (1) In a proceeding for dissolution of marriage . . ., the court may grant a maintenance order for either spouse only if it finds that the spouse seeking maintenance: (a) lacks sufficient property to provide for his reasonable needs; and (b) is unable to support himself through appropriate employment . . . . (2) The maintenance order shall be in such amounts and for such periods of time as the court deems just, without regard to marital misconduct, and after considering all relevant facts including: (a) the financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, including marital property apportioned to him, and his ability to meet his needs independently . . . ; (b) . . . ; (c) the standard of living established during the marriage; (d) the duration of the marriage; (e) the age and the physical and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance; and (f) the ability of the spouse from whom maintenance is sought to meet his needs while meeting those of the spouse seeking maintenance. ¶35 We conclude that while Liz presently enjoys a salary comparable to Jim's salary, Jim's future annual income will be substantially greater than Liz's; therefore, Jim will continue to enjoy the standard of living the couple established during the marriage. Additionally, while Liz was awarded the marital home in lieu of Jim's supersedeas bond, the home, with its substantial remaining mortgage, is currently an income-consuming asset. As we stated in Herron, 186 Mont. at 408, 608 P.2d at 103, [t]he danger exists of creating a situation in which Mrs. Herron would be `property poor', i.e., in possession of a large quantity of property but unable to generate the income to maintain the property. ¶36 Based on the duration of the marriage, the standard of living established during the marriage, the inability of Liz to now sustain that standard of living, the ability of Jim to continue to do so, and the current disparity between the debts owed by each ($96,000 for Jim and $410,000.00 for Liz), we conclude it was not error for the District Court to award maintenance to Liz. However, as we have frequently stated, §§ 40-4-202 and -203, MCA, covering distribution of property and maintenance, respectively, must be considered together. In re Marriage of Rolf, 2003 MT 194, ¶¶ 25-26, 316 Mont. 517, ¶¶ 25-26, 75 P.3d 770, ¶¶ 25-26 (citation omitted). Because we are remanding for a re-distribution of marital assets and with instructions to vacate the equalization payment, we remand, as well, for a reconsideration of the appropriate amount of maintenance.