Opinion ID: 1805112
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Alimony and General Property Division.

Text: A. The court's decree divided the nonpension assets of the parties in approximately equal shares. Daniel complains that Patricia received a $30,000 advantage in this division, but this assertion is based largely on his own valuation of their assets. On our review of the record, we conclude that the district court's division was equitable. B. Patricia complains in her cross-appeal that the amount of alimony was inadequate. She was granted $400 per month for five years, but she requests that we raise it to $1000 per month. Patricia's interior design business is just getting started. Her earnings are relatively modest at this time, but there is potential for increased profit. Her earning capacity is demonstrated by the fact that she has been employed in the past in the area of interior design at an annual income of approximately $19,000. We conclude that attributing to Patricia a reasonable employment potential from self-employment, together with the $4800 per year alimony, the allowance to her was sufficient. This is particularly so in view of the fact that the property division gave her a share of Daniel's pension, and it is appropriate to consider the property division when the court sets alimony. See Iowa Code § 598.21(3) (amount of spousal support depends in part on the distribution of property under Iowa Code section 598.21(1)); In re Marriage of McNerney, 417 N.W.2d 205, 209 (Iowa 1989) (property division and alimony to be considered together).