Opinion ID: 1826405
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: One-half of Jerry Arthur's Pension Fund Held by His Employer.

Text: In this assignment of error, Jerry Arthur does not contest the entire award of one-half of his retirement fund to Peggy Arthur, but rather he appeals only from the award of one-half of his retirement funds which were accumulated prior to his marriage to Peggy. Jerry's pension profit sharing fund at Peoples Construction Company had been accumulating funds since he began working there in 1969. Although Jerry and Peggy were not married until 1978, the chancellor awarded to Peggy one-half of all of Jerry's retirement funds accumulated at the time of divorce. Jerry argues that the chancellor had no authority to award any portion of those funds which were accumulated prior to the parties' marriage. Indeed, the retirement funds at issue not having been acquired or accumulated during the marriage, they do not fall within Hemsley 's definition of marital assets subject to equitable distribution. 639 So.2d at 915 (emphasis added). The evidence indicates instead that these funds are attributable to one of the parties' separate estates prior to the marriage. Id. at 914 (emphasis added). Jerry's retirement funds which were accumulated prior to the parties' marriage are therefore clearly the type of assets this Court determined in Hemsley would not be subject to equitable distribution upon divorce. Peggy Arthur thus was not entitled to one-half of Jerry's pension funds accumulated prior to the marriage, nor to any portion of the interest thereon. There having been no evidence at trial as to what portion of the funds was accumulated prior to the marriage, we reverse this award and remand for a determination thereof.