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CRITERIA FOR DETERMINATION OF ALIMONY

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2016 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Brad M. Daw

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Senate Sponsor: ____________

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill authorizes the inclusion of certain expenses in the alimony award.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     specifies that expenses that benefit both the child and recipient spouse may be
13     included in the alimony award.
14     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15          None
16     Other Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Utah Code Sections Affected:
19     AMENDS:
20          30-3-5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapters 264 and 373
21     

22     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          Section 1. Section 30-3-5 is amended to read:
24          30-3-5. Disposition of property -- Maintenance and health care of parties and
25     children -- Division of debts -- Court to have continuing jurisdiction -- Custody and
26     parent-time -- Determination of alimony -- Nonmeritorious petition for modification.
27          (1) When a decree of divorce is rendered, the court may include in it equitable orders

28     relating to the children, property, debts or obligations, and parties. The court shall include the
29     following in every decree of divorce:
30          (a) an order assigning responsibility for the payment of reasonable and necessary
31     medical and dental expenses of the dependent children including responsibility for health
32     insurance out-of-pocket expenses such as co-payments, co-insurance, and deductibles;
33          (b) (i) if coverage is or becomes available at a reasonable cost, an order requiring the
34     purchase and maintenance of appropriate health, hospital, and dental care insurance for the
35     dependent children; and
36          (ii) a designation of which health, hospital, or dental insurance plan is primary and
37     which health, hospital, or dental insurance plan is secondary in accordance with the provisions
38     of Section 30-3-5.4 which will take effect if at any time a dependent child is covered by both
39     parents' health, hospital, or dental insurance plans;
40          (c) pursuant to Section 15-4-6.5:
41          (i) an order specifying which party is responsible for the payment of joint debts,
42     obligations, or liabilities of the parties contracted or incurred during marriage;
43          (ii) an order requiring the parties to notify respective creditors or obligees, regarding
44     the court's division of debts, obligations, or liabilities and regarding the parties' separate,
45     current addresses; and
46          (iii) provisions for the enforcement of these orders;
47          (d) provisions for income withholding in accordance with Title 62A, Chapter 11,
48     Recovery Services; and
49          (e) if either party owns a life insurance policy or an annuity contract, an
50     acknowledgment by the court that the owner:
51          (i) has reviewed and updated, where appropriate, the list of beneficiaries;
52          (ii) has affirmed that those listed as beneficiaries are in fact the intended beneficiaries
53     after the divorce becomes final; and
54          (iii) understands that if no changes are made to the policy or contract, the beneficiaries
55     currently listed will receive any funds paid by the insurance company under the terms of the
56     policy or contract.
57          (2) The court may include, in an order determining child support, an order assigning
58     financial responsibility for all or a portion of child care expenses incurred on behalf of the

59     dependent children, necessitated by the employment or training of the custodial parent. If the
60     court determines that the circumstances are appropriate and that the dependent children would
61     be adequately cared for, it may include an order allowing the noncustodial parent to provide
62     child care for the dependent children, necessitated by the employment or training of the
63     custodial parent.
64          (3) The court has continuing jurisdiction to make subsequent changes or new orders for
65     the custody of the children and their support, maintenance, health, and dental care, and for
66     distribution of the property and obligations for debts as is reasonable and necessary.
67          (4) Child support, custody, visitation, and other matters related to children born to the
68     mother and father after entry of the decree of divorce may be added to the decree by
69     modification.
70          (5) (a) In determining parent-time rights of parents and visitation rights of grandparents
71     and other members of the immediate family, the court shall consider the best interest of the
72     child.
73          (b) Upon a specific finding by the court of the need for peace officer enforcement, the
74     court may include in an order establishing a parent-time or visitation schedule a provision,
75     among other things, authorizing any peace officer to enforce a court-ordered parent-time or
76     visitation schedule entered under this chapter.
77          (6) If a petition for modification of child custody or parent-time provisions of a court
78     order is made and denied, the court shall order the petitioner to pay the reasonable attorneys'
79     fees expended by the prevailing party in that action, if the court determines that the petition
80     was without merit and not asserted or defended against in good faith.
81          (7) If a petition alleges noncompliance with a parent-time order by a parent, or a
82     visitation order by a grandparent or other member of the immediate family where a visitation or
83     parent-time right has been previously granted by the court, the court may award to the
84     prevailing party costs, including actual attorney fees and court costs incurred by the prevailing
85     party because of the other party's failure to provide or exercise court-ordered visitation or
86     parent-time.
87          (8) (a) The court shall consider at least the following factors in determining alimony:
88          (i) the financial condition and needs of the recipient spouse[;], including the need for
89     expenses that benefit both the child and the recipient spouse or are related to the benefit of a

90     child, but not specifically included in the deviated child support award;
91          (ii) the recipient's earning capacity or ability to produce income;
92          (iii) the ability of the payor spouse to provide support;
93          (iv) the length of the marriage;
94          (v) whether the recipient spouse has custody of minor children requiring support;
95          (vi) whether the recipient spouse worked in a business owned or operated by the payor
96     spouse; and
97          (vii) whether the recipient spouse directly contributed to any increase in the payor
98     spouse's skill by paying for education received by the payor spouse or enabling the payor
99     spouse to attend school during the marriage.
100          (b) The court may consider the fault of the parties in determining whether to award
101     alimony and the terms thereof.
102          (c) "Fault" means any of the following wrongful conduct during the marriage that
103     substantially contributed to the breakup of the marriage relationship:
104          (i) engaging in sexual relations with a person other than the party's spouse;
105          (ii) knowingly and intentionally causing or attempting to cause physical harm to the
106     other party or minor children;
107          (iii) knowingly and intentionally causing the other party or minor children to
108     reasonably fear life-threatening harm; or
109          (iv) substantially undermining the financial stability of the other party or the minor
110     children.
111          (d) The court may, when fault is at issue, close the proceedings and seal the court
112     records.
113          (e) As a general rule, the court should look to the standard of living, existing at the
114     time of separation, in determining alimony in accordance with Subsection (8)(a). However, the
115     court shall consider all relevant facts and equitable principles and may, in its discretion, base
116     alimony on the standard of living that existed at the time of trial. In marriages of short
117     duration, when no children have been conceived or born during the marriage, the court may
118     consider the standard of living that existed at the time of the marriage.
119          (f) The court may, under appropriate circumstances, attempt to equalize the parties'
120     respective standards of living.

121          (g) When a marriage of long duration dissolves on the threshold of a major change in
122     the income of one of the spouses due to the collective efforts of both, that change shall be
123     considered in dividing the marital property and in determining the amount of alimony. If one
124     spouse's earning capacity has been greatly enhanced through the efforts of both spouses during
125     the marriage, the court may make a compensating adjustment in dividing the marital property
126     and awarding alimony.
127          (h) In determining alimony when a marriage of short duration dissolves, and no
128     children have been conceived or born during the marriage, the court may consider restoring
129     each party to the condition which existed at the time of the marriage.
130          (i) (i) The court has continuing jurisdiction to make substantive changes and new
131     orders regarding alimony based on a substantial material change in circumstances not
132     foreseeable at the time of the divorce.
133          (ii) The court may not modify alimony or issue a new order for alimony to address
134     needs of the recipient that did not exist at the time the decree was entered, unless the court
135     finds extenuating circumstances that justify that action.
136          (iii) In determining alimony, the income of any subsequent spouse of the payor may not
137     be considered, except as provided in this Subsection (8).
138          (A) The court may consider the subsequent spouse's financial ability to share living
139     expenses.
140          (B) The court may consider the income of a subsequent spouse if the court finds that
141     the payor's improper conduct justifies that consideration.
142          (j) Alimony may not be ordered for a duration longer than the number of years that the
143     marriage existed unless, at any time prior to termination of alimony, the court finds extenuating
144     circumstances that justify the payment of alimony for a longer period of time[.], except that:
145          (i) expenses included in the alimony award for the benefit of both the child and
146     recipient spouse may continue until the last child reaches the age of 18; and
147          (ii) expenses awarded for the benefit of a specific child shall end on the day that child
148     turns 18.
149          (9) Unless a decree of divorce specifically provides otherwise, any order of the court
150     that a party pay alimony to a former spouse automatically terminates upon the remarriage or
151     death of that former spouse[.], except that expenses awarded for the benefit of a specific child

152     may not end upon the remarriage of the former spouse. However, if the remarriage is annulled
153     and found to be void ab initio, payment of alimony shall resume if the party paying alimony is
154     made a party to the action of annulment and the payor party's rights are determined.
155          (10) Any order of the court that a party pay alimony to a former spouse terminates
156     upon establishment by the party paying alimony that the former spouse is cohabitating with
157     another person[.], except that expenses awarded for the benefit of a specific child may not
158     terminate.






Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel