Opinion ID: 1735276
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the trial court erred in determining sumrall should pay child support for six months instead of three months.

Text: ¶ 13. Sumrall petitioned the chancery court for a modification of the original divorce decree, asking for a reduction of the amount of monthly child support he is required to pay. Specifically Sumrall asked that the child support be modified because both children were enrolled full time at universities and lived away from their mother's home. ¶ 14. A final divorce decree may be modified only upon a showing of a substantial or material change in the circumstances of one or more of the interested parties: the father, the mother, and the child or children, arising subsequent to the entry of the decree to be modified. Lawrence v. Lawrence, 574 So.2d 1376, 1380 (Miss.1991)(quoting Tedford v. Dempsey, 437 So.2d 410, 417 (Miss.1983)). Factors to be considered in determining whether a material change has taken place include: (1) increased needs caused by advanced age and maturity of the children (2) increase in expenses, and (3) inflation factor. Other factors include (4) the relative financial condition and earning capacity of the parties, (5) the health and special needs of the child, both physical and psychological, (6) the health and special medical needs of the parents, both physical and psychological, (7) the necessary living expenses of the father, (8) the estimated amount of income taxes the respective parties must pay on their incomes, (9) the free use of a residence, furnishings, and automobile and (10) such other facts and circumstances that bear on the support subject shown by the evidence.... Caldwell v. Caldwell, 579 So.2d 543, 547 (Miss.1991)(quoting Adams v. Adams, 467 So.2d 211, 215 (Miss.1985)). ¶ 15. Paragraph IX in the original divorce decree entered in June, 1983, required Sumrall to pay $1,200 per month in child support: Husband agrees to pay Wife as child support the sum of One Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($1,200.00) per month on the tenth (10th) day of each month commencing on July 10, 1983. The record shows that Sumrall has continued to pay the required child support to Munguia. ¶ 16. Sumrall argues that paragraph X in the original divorce decree provides a basis for a reduction in child support he should be required to pay: Husband agrees to provide the reasonable expenses for a college education for each of the children of the parties if the child demonstrates an aptitude and desire for a college education and properly applies himself or herself. Such expenses shall include but not be limited to tuition, books, room and board, a clothing allowance and all college-related incidental expenses. It is expressly agreed and understood, however, that any amount Husband pays to Wife as child support shall be considered in the determination of the necessary and reasonable costs of such schooling. ¶ 17. It is clear from the plain reading of Paragraph X that both parties intended that there would be a reduction in child support once the children began college. The chancellor noted that both children are living away from home most of the year and [Sumrall] is providing for all of their necessary living expenses during that time. The chancellor held that this constituted a material change in circumstances. The chancellor then ordered Sumrall to pay child support to Munguia only during the months of May, June, July, August, December, and January. ¶ 18. Upon reviewing the factors that determine whether a modification is appropriate, this Court finds that the chancellor did not err in suspending child support during the six months of the year when the children were away in college. The child support payments are still very liberal. ¶ 19. Sumrall argues that the chancellor should have reduced his child support obligation to only three months every year: June, July, and August. Sumrall asserts that these are the only three months that the children actually live in their mother's home. ¶ 20. Munguia points out, however, that Heather actually spent a total of twentyfive weeks at Munguia's home the previous year. Universities typically end their fall semester in mid-December and do not begin the spring semester until mid-January. The spring semester ends during mid-May, with the fall semester beginning mid to late August. One must also take into account Thanksgiving holidays, Easter holidays, and spring break. ¶ 21. One factor to be considered in modifying child support is the necessary living expenses of the father, as well as the financial condition of the father. Sumrall is currently married and has a small child. As noted by Sumrall, his income was essentially the same at the time of the original decree in 1983 as it was at the time of the modification in 1998. The chancellor noted that Sumrall's adjusted gross income of 1997 was approximately $90,000, with approximately one-half of that amount, $41,401.06, being paid to support Heather and Bradley. ¶ 22. Another factor to be considered is the earning capacity of the mother, as well as her health. Munguia holds a nursing degree, is in good health, and capable of working. Sumrall's current wife is a nurse and makes approximately $48,000 per year. Munguia, working as a nurse, could make similar wages. ¶ 23. Munguia argues that she is in dire financial straits. The record shows that Munguia lives in home valued at $535,000 with equity of approximately $270,000. She also has a secondary residence where she has equity of approximately $5,000. Munguia claims to have approximately $5,000 in jewelry and $15,000 in home furnishings. She also has an IRA account valued at $53,000. Munguia's total assets are valued at $1.2 million. However, Munguia testified that she had no plan to liquidate any of her assets to help these dire financial straits. ¶ 24. This Court has ruled that a father should not be required to maintain his children in a standard of living beyond his financial ability to provide. Adams v. Adams, 467 So.2d 211, 215 (Miss.1985). That seems to be exactly what is occurring here. As noted earlier, Sumrall pays approximately one-half of his adjusted gross income in support of Heather and Bradley. The trial court recognized that Sumrall was living a modest lifestyle and that he should not be required to maintain Heather and Bradley in a lifestyle beyond his own. ¶ 25. Because Heather and Bradley attend school at least nine months of the year and in some instances attend summer school, we cannot hold that the chancellor erred in ordering child support payments for six months of the year. This issue is without merit.