Opinion ID: 2113836
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Child Care and Tuition Expenses

Text: The Husband's second claim is that the Family Court improperly failed to take into account the cost of child care and private school tuition in its calculation of Husband's alimony obligation. Under title 13, section 1512(c) of the Delaware Code, an award of alimony must be in such amount and for such time as the Family Court deems just, after consideration of all relevant factors, including: (1) the financial resources of the party seeking alimony; (2) the time and expense necessary for the party seeking alimony to find appropriate employment; (3) the standard of living established during the marriage; (4) the duration of the marriage; (5) the physical and emotional condition of the parties; (6) the contribution made by either party to the education and earning capacity of the other party; (7) the ability of the other party to meet his or her needs while paying alimony; (8) the tax consequences of alimony; (9) whether either party has foregone or postponed opportunities for education or employment during the marriage; and (10) any other factor the Family Court expressly finds is just and appropriate to consider. [16] The record reflects that the Family Court included the costs of child care and private school tuition when it calculated the amount of child support owed by the Husband, but did not credit the Husband with those expenses when it calculated the amount of alimony owed by the Husband to the Wife. In its March 27, 2008, order on the Husband's second motion for reargument, the Family Court stated: If the Court were to allow Husband to claim child care and tuition expenses again in the alimony calculation, then he would, in essence, be claiming the aforesaid expenses twice, a result which is unseemly. Therefore, the Court finds it exercised appropriate discretion in precluding Husband from doubling his expense for child care and tuition. [17] The Husband claims that, because he is paying the cost of child care and private school tuition for the parties' child as part of his child support obligation, those amounts should be reflected in the calculation of the amount of income he has available for the payment of alimony to the Wife. We agree. Unlike a case of double dipping, the amount of the Husband's child support obligation is relevant under the statute for purposes of calculating the amount of his income and, therefore, the amount of his alimony obligation. [18] As such, we hold that the Family Court's determination that it was precluded from crediting the Husband with child care and tuition expenses for purposes of calculating his alimony obligation was erroneous.