Opinion ID: 2552151
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Robert's Earning Capacity and Annual Expenses

Text: [¶ 14] Robert contends that the court abused its discretion and committed clear error in finding that he had an annual earning capacity of $10,000. Robert's testimony about his ability to work provides competent evidence to support the court's finding that his annual earning capacity was $10,000 based on part-time, minimum wage employment. The court did not commit clear error in finding that an annual $10,000 income could be imputed to Robert. [¶ 15] Robert also contends that the court committed clear error when it concluded that his annual expenses were $30,000 after it found that his total expenses were $48,000 and allocated $10,000 of the housing and living expenses to his current wife. He argues that if the court had properly calculated his net expenses to be $38,000, the court could not have found that he had the ability to make monthly payments of $800 for spousal support and $100 toward the arrearage. [¶ 16] Although there appears to be a computational error on the face of the modification order, Robert did not move for additional findings of fact related to the court's determination of his annual expenses. His Rule 52(b) motion only requested findings and conclusions on which the Court determined the Plaintiff's and Defendant's total and sources of income upon which it ordered continued spousal support. (Emphasis added.) As a result, we must assume that the court found all facts necessary to support the outcome to the extent that such facts are supported in the record. Sutherland v. Morrill, 2008 ME 6, ¶ 5, 940 A.2d 192, 193 (alteration omitted) (quotation marks omitted). We will affirm the judgment if the record contains any competent evidence that demonstrates that the court's computation of Robert's expenses is accurate. See id. ¶ 5, 940 A.2d at 193-94. [¶ 17] Upon review of the record, we note that the court characterized $16,000 of the $48,000 in total expenses as representing the joint transportation expenses of Robert and his current wife. If half of this amount$8000is allocated to Robert's wife in addition to the housing and living expenses allocated to her by the court, the resulting $30,000 in expenses attributable to Robert is consistent with the figure that the court used to determine Robert's ability to pay spousal support. The court did not err in determining Robert's total annual expenses.