Opinion ID: 2587569
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Maintenance and Attorney Fees

Text: The parties raise two issues in this case concerning maintenance awards: (1) whether the trial court should modify its maintenance award given a decrease in the value of marital property after the entry of a decree of dissolution, and while the case is under advisement, and (2) whether the trial court must reconsider its maintenance and attorney fee award in light of extensive errors in its property division. Under the Act, a court may grant a maintenance order for either spouse only if it finds that the spouse seeking maintenance (1) lacks sufficient property to provide for his reasonable needs and (2) is unable to support himself through appropriate employment. § 14-10-114, 5 C.R.S. (2000). In doing so, a court must consider all relevant factors such as [t]he financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, including marital property apportioned to such party, and the party's ability to meet his or her needs independently, including the extent to which a provision for support of a child living with the party includes a sum for that party. § 14-10-114(2)(a). Thus, because the Act requires a consideration of the adequacy of the property and earning capacity of the party seeking maintenance, we have previously held that a trial court's determinations when making a maintenance award depend on its findings concerning property division. In re Marriage of Jones, 627 P.2d 248, 252 (Colo.1981). In addition, the Act provides, and we have acknowledged, that a maintenance award is subject to modification as to future installments upon a showing of changed circumstances so substantial and continuing as to make the terms unconscionable. Id. at 253; § 14-10-122(1)(a), 5 C.R.S. (2000). Thus, substantial errors in a trial court's property division determination or significant changes in the value of marital property could require a reconsideration of a maintenance award. In this case, we have determined that the trial court erred in its treatment of Husband's interspousal gifts to Wife and Wife's interest in the family trust when making its property division. In the aggregate, these errors impacted the trial court's treatment of a substantial portion of the total marital assets. Furthermore, the court of appeals determined that a significant decrease in the value of one of Husband and Wife's marital accounts (the Everen Account) significantly reduced Wife's ability to earn as much investment income as the trial court had calculated in its maintenance determination. Thus, we hold that on remand the trial court should reconsider its maintenance award in light of its new property division and in light of the significant decrease in value of the Everen Account. Similarly, because a trial court's determination in making an attorney fee award must consider the financial resources of both parties, we hold that the trial court's errors in making its property division requires a reconsideration of its attorney fee award as well. Accordingly, we remand the case to the trial court for such a reconsideration.