Opinion ID: 2552151
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Robert's VA Disability Income

Text: [¶ 8] Robert contends that state and federal statutes prohibit the court from treating his VA disability benefits as income in its determination of his ability to pay spousal support. See 10 U.S.C.S. § 1201 (LexisNexis 2010); Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA), 10 U.S.C.S. § 1408 (LexisNexis 1998); 19-A M.R.S. § 2604 (2010). [¶ 9] We review orders modifying spousal support for an abuse of discretion, which includes reviewing the court's findings for clear error and determining whether the court understood and applied the law correctly. Pettinelli v. Yost, 2007 ME 121, ¶ 11, 930 A.2d 1074, 1077-78. [¶ 10] The USFSPA authorizes a state divorce court to treat military disposable retired pay ... as property of the member and his spouse in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction of such court. 10 U.S.C.S. § 1408(c); Koszegi v. Erickson, 2004 ME 113, ¶ 20, 855 A.2d 1168, 1172 (quotation marks omitted). However, by definition, disposable retired pay does not include amounts that are paid as disability benefits. 10 U.S.C.S. § 1408(a)(4)(C). In addition, without an affirmative grant of authority from Congress, states cannot divide disability pay as marital property. See Mansell v. Mansell, 490 U.S. 581, 588, 109 S.Ct. 2023, 104 L.Ed.2d 675 (1989); Black v. Black, 2004 ME 21, ¶ 10, 842 A.2d 1280, 1285. However, as long as a court does not attempt to divide military disability benefits directly, the USFSPA does not prevent the court from treating disability benefits as income for the purpose of determining a spouse's ability to pay support. See Black, 2004 ME 21, ¶ 10, 842 A.2d at 1285; Koszegi, 2004 ME 113, ¶ 22, 855 A.2d at 1173. This view is consistent with Maine's spousal support statute, which requires the court, when determining a support award, to consider [t]he ability of each party to pay and [t]he income history and income potential of each party. 19-A M.R.S. § 951-A(5)(B), (E) (2010). [¶ 11] Here, the court considered Robert's disability benefits in determining his ability to pay, and it fixed his support obligation as a sum certain that is not tied to his disability benefits. Because the modification order did not attempt to divide disability pay directly, the court's award of spousal support does not conflict with the USFSPA. See Black, 2004 ME 21, ¶ 10, 842 A.2d at 1285; Koszegi, 2004 ME 113, ¶ 22, 855 A.2d at 1173. The court did not misapply the law by considering Robert's disability benefits in determining his ability to pay support.