Court Opinion

ID: 9762427
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:23:24.705335+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:34.284978
License: Public Domain

WIEAND, Judge,
concurring:
I agree with the majority that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by making an award of alimony or by including the marital home for purposes of effecting equitable distribution of marital assets. I am also agreed that the case may be remanded to permit the trial court to consider whether the husband’s pension was marital property. I disagree, however, with the majority’s conclusion that the trial court must find the pension to be marital property.
When Ronald Barnhart terminated his employment with Sperry-Univac in June, 1979, he withdrew his pension, which then had an approximate value of $12,000.00.. He used some of this money to pay an encumbrance on a Dodge automobile which, pursuant to agreement, he then transferred to his wife. She traded the Dodge for another car, which was subsequently repossessed. The balance of the pension fund was used by Barnhart to support himself until he obtained other employment in September, 1980. This action in divorce was not commenced until April 28, 1981. The trial court held that the proceeds of the pension had been expended and were no longer in existence at the time of the divorce action. Therefore, the court held, they did *241not constitute marital property. The majority holds that the trial court erred and that the pension proceeds were marital property for purposes of equitable distribution. I would hold that the record is inadequate to permit such a determination.
Section 401(e) of the Divorce Code of April 2, 1980, P.L. 63, 23 P.S. § 401(e), provides as follows:
For purposes of this chapter only, “marital property” means all property acquired by either party during the marriage except:
(5) Property which a party has sold, granted, conveyed, or otherwise disposed of in good faith and for value prior to the time proceedings for the divorce are commenced.
It is clear that the proceeds of Barnhart’s pension were disposed of prior to commencement of the present divorce action. Whether this money is nevertheless to be deemed marital property must be determined, therefore, according to whether “disposition” was made “in good faith” and “for value.”
The majority’s concern that a spouse not be permitted unilaterally to remove property from availability for equitable distribution by consuming the property after separation and before divorce is alleviated by the requirements of “good faith” and “for value.” Without proof that the property was disposed of in good faith and for value, the property is subject to equitable distribution. The purposes and spirit of equitable distribution are more nearly preserved by applying and following this clear mandate of section 401(e)(5).
The trial court made no findings other than that the pension proceeds were not in existence. The sum of $1,300.00, according to the testimony, had been used to pay an encumbrance on a motor vehicle, and the vehicle had then been transferred to appellee. On the surface, at least, this disposition would seem to have been “in good faith” and “for value.” The indication is that the balance of the pension fund was used by Barnhart to support himself until *242he obtained new employment with the United States Government in September, 1980. Assuming, without deciding, that the balance of this money was disposed of for value, there remains to be determined whether disposition was accomplished in good faith.
Upon remand, I would direct the trial court to take testimony and make findings as to whether the.proceeds of Ronald Barnhart’s pension fund were disposed of “for value” and “in good faith.” To the extent that they were disposed of for value and in good faith, those moneys are not to be deemed marital property for purposes of effecting equitable distribution. If any portion thereof was not disposed of for value and in good faith, however, that portion must be deemed marital property and is subject to equitable distribution.