Opinion ID: 1918504
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: whether the award of $750.00 per month periodic alimony was excessive considering martha received total equity in the marital home, child support and limited marital liabilities.

Text: ¶ 30. Whether or not to award alimony and the amount of alimony is largely within the discretion of the chancellor. A decision by the chancellor will not be disturbed unless it is found to be against the overwhelming weight of the evidence or manifestly in error. Parsons v. Parsons, 678 So.2d 701, 703 (Miss.1996); Creekmore v. Creekmore, 651 So.2d 513, 517 (Miss.1995 ). ¶ 31. The following factors are to be considered by the chancellor in arriving at findings and entering judgment for alimony: 1. Income and expenses of the parties; 2. The health and earning capacity of the parties; 3. The needs of each party; 4. The obligations and assets of each party; 5. The length of the marriage; 6. The presence or absence of minor children in the home, which may require that one or both of the parties either pay, or personally provide child care; 7. The age of the parties; 8. The standard of living of the parties, both during the marriage and at the time of the support determination; 9. The tax consequences of the spousal support order; 10. Fault or misconduct; 11. Wasteful dissipation of assets by either party; 12. Any other factor deemed by the court to be just and equitable in connection with setting spousal support. Parsons, 678 So.2d at 703; Ethridge v. Ethridge, 648 So.2d 1143, 1146 (Miss.1995); Armstrong v. Armstrong, 618 So.2d 1278, 1280 (Miss.1993). ¶ 32. Thomas, at age 47, receives an annual salary of $56,000.00 and monthly gross of $4700.00. He generally receives an annual cost of living increase of one and one half to two percent, which will increase his annual and monthly gross. His disposable income is $3150.00. Thomas' monthly living expenses, per his financial statement, total $1288.00 and his monthly obligations total $1000.00. The monthly obligations were considered to be short term debts. Thomas has $46,000.00 in retirement, $25,000.00 in personal property assets, and a cash value of $1817.00 on two life insurance policies. He is in good health. ¶ 33. Martha's assets were found to be $46,364.00 which includes her retirement of $19,000.00. The chancellor combined the total of marital assets and came up with a figure of $121,622.00. He then split the assets 50/50. ¶ 34. Thomas alleges that the award was excessive considering that Martha received total equity in the marital home, will collect child support and has limited marital liabilities. Although she has the equity in the home, she has to assume all of the mortgage payments of $655.00 per month. The chancellor ordered Thomas to pay an amount of $225.00 child support for any thirty day period that the minor child will be in the home. This decision was made considering the fact that Ty Traxler will be entering college and will be away from the home the majority of the school year. Thomas fails in showing that he is left with a majority of the marital liabilities since all assets and joint liabilities were split evenly. The chancellor's decision was supported by credible evidence offered by both parties and is therefore affirmed.