WPC {HG6,ibCh:Xz̥l*D\ߊWߤPFuiYua1g Iҫ-D묯*NDplܥN\' *~ zpbLH mQ_#_ΠZw ] 6q/J4[;M䷥,WH?0>m|IȉfHQzB(t]RNA/r@ S<,;us+-x&s? oFbĺ4m(d{k3A6*a!Џimg#st20s]4[tG>qBg׎EtTx]Ԋ,9[‚c8\ĞqQ5LIIׁp*#V7G kT.w+pĤhu}7?w2VFLmGSDg4 W^vfZ~niL~?Rb %\U:b 0UN$Yr^ w z U 4' ; 6 0DE  O N m#E}UNb 0 B 0 D3 D- 0K AS, 0E 0D A-,cAZ"Arial Regular(`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regular O R$      2  )   _Sincethepartieswereonlymarriedfor12ofthe20yearsMr.Flemingwasintheservice,only60%ofMr.  Flemingsretirementbenefitwouldbeconsideredmaritalpropertyinthiscase.nQ)  C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt*DJ),q R$      1  )   _Wenotethat,withtheexceptionofMr.Flemingsretirementbenefits,theseamountsarecalculatedaftertaxes.3|x(#$  0  Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5UHP LaserJet 8000 Series PS0(I Z6Times New Roman Regular- -(|G2$ !.8dd d 8         0  l d(|3$ !.8dd d 8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !.8dd d 8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.84d d8     _  A8~XXdd 8  @ AINTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @%ATJACKSON#A #Ԉ &   OralArgumentAugust28,2000 L XmXA #AXXm#WILLIAMA.FLEMINGv._LEATHA_ԀG.FLEMINGXmXA  J @@ ADirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforShelbyCounty  J @@No.150693TheHonorableKarenR.Williams,Judge  6 @@*AV) ` dE<` A   @@TTNo.W199901978_COA_ԄR3CVFiledOctober11,2000   AV) ` dE<|` A }     Thisappealinvolvesthedivisionofmaritalpropertyandawardofalimonyinfuturoinanactionfor x  divorce.HusbandreceivesretirementincomefromtheUnitedStatesArmy.Wifehasanannuity d throughheremployerwhichaccruedduringthepartiesmarriage.ThecircuitcourtawardedWife P $150amonthasalimonyinfuturo,butruledthatthepartiesshouldkeeptheirretirementaccounts < asseparateproperty.Husbandhasappealed,andbothpartiespresentissuesforreview. (x #AXXm#XmXA _Tenn.R.App.P._Ԁ3;AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourtVacatedand < Remanded  (   #AXm@#XmX.AW.FrankCrawford,P.J.,W.S.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichAlanE._Highers_,  J.andDavidR.Farmer,J.,joined.  KimG.Sims;Memphis,ForAppellant,WilliamA.Fleming t RichardF._Vaughn_,Memphis,forAppellee,_Leatha_ԀG.Fleming L   OPINION #AXXmJ#XmXA $"t! #AXXm` #XmXA  8X XdXXd8  WilliamA.Fleming(Husband)and_Leatha_ԀG.Fleming(Wife)weremarriedonMay29,1983 $8 $ anddivorcedonNovember18,1999.Thepartieshavenochildrenfromtheirmarriage.Forallbut %$!% thelastthreeyearsofthemarriage,HusbandwasintheUnitedStatesArmy.Husbandreceivesboth &"& disabilityandretirementincomefromhismilitaryservice.Duringtheirmarriage,Wifewas '"' employedfulltime. (#(   Wifewasdiagnosedwithbreastcancerin1997,butreturnedtoherjobeightmonthslater. p*%* Shecontinuestohavedecreasedmobilityinherarmasaresultofhercancersurgeryandsuffers \+&+  fromarthritis.Husbandalsohasphysicalproblems,includingpooreyesightandarthritis.He H,', currentlyworksparttimedrivingadaycarebusandhasbeengoingtoschooltoobtainadegreein  computerscience.     Attrial,thepartiespresentedevidencethatMr.Flemingsincomeisapproximately$1977.00 t permonth,consistingof$569.00ofmilitarydisabilitybenefits,$569.00ofmilitaryretirement ` benefits,$583.00fromhisjobasadaycarevandriver,andanadditional$307.00inGIBilleducation L  benefits(paidmonthly10monthsoutoftheyearwhenMr.Flemingisattendingschool).   #  1      ׀Ms. 8  Flemingsonlyincomeisfromherclericaljob,whichnetsher$1,004.00permonth.Theonly $ t additionalassetthepartiesclaimisan_unvested_ԀannuityMs.Flemingreceivesthroughheremployer  ` whichwasvaluedatapproximately$9000.00.ThetrialcourtorderedHusbandtopayWife$150.00  L  permonthasalimonyinfuturoandfoundthat eachpartyshouldkeepashisorherseparateproperty  8  theirrespectiveretirementorpensionplans. $    Husbandappealstheorderofthetrialcourtandpresentsthisissueforreview:whetherthe   trialcourterredingrantingWifealimonyinfuturo.Wifepresentstheissueofwhetherthetrialcourt   erredinfailingtoawardWifeonehalfofHusbandsmilitaryretirementbenefitsthataccruedduring   thepartiesmarriage,andwhetherthetrialcourterredinfailingtoawardWifeattorneysfeesinthis p action. \   BecauseofthenatureoftheissuesandthereliefgrantedbythisCourt,wewillconsiderthe 4 issuestogether.  p   Sincethiscasewastriedbythecourtsittingwithoutajury,wereviewthecase denovo upon H therecordwithapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffactbythetrialcourt.Unlessthe 4 evidencepreponderatesagainstthefindings,wemustaffirm,absenterroroflaw.Tenn.R.App.P.   13(d).  Atrialcourtisaffordedwidediscretionwhendividingthemaritalproperty,andits   distributionwillbegiven greatweightonappeal. SeeFordv.Ford ,952S.W.2d824,825(Tenn.  App.1997).    Individingassetsinadivorce,courtsmustfirstclassifyeachpieceofpropertyas separate l or marital. See_Batson_Ԁv._Batson_ ,769S.W.2d849,856(Tenn.Ct.App.1988).T.C.A.364121 X  definesmaritalpropertyas: D! 8  [_A]ll_Ԁrealandpersonalproperty,bothtangibleandintangible,acquiredbyeitheror #l! bothspousesduringthecourseofthemarriageuptothedateofthefinaldivorce $X" hearingandownedbyeitherorbothspousesasofthedateoffilingofacomplaint $D # fordivorce,exceptinthecaseoffraudulentconveyanceinanticipationoffiling,and %0!$ includinganypropertytowhicharightwasacquireduptothedateofthefinal &"% divorcehearing,andvaluedasofadateasnearasreasonablypossibletothefinal '#& divorcehearingdate.(#'    )$( T.C.A.364121(c)(1)(A)(1996).Similarly,separatepropertyisdefinedas:  8  (A)Allrealandpersonalpropertyownedbyaspousebeforemarriage;     (B)Propertyacquiredinexchangeforpropertyacquiredbeforethemarriage; t 8  (C)Incomefromandappreciationofpropertyownedbyaspousebeforemarriage ` exceptwhencharacterizedasmaritalpropertyundersubdivision(b)(1);andL    8  (D)Propertyacquiredbyaspouseatanytimebygift,bequest,deviseordescent.8    T.C.A.364121(b)(2)(1996).Inthecaseatbar,weholdthatthetrialcourtimproperlyclassified  ` bothHusbandsmilitaryretirementandWifesannuityasseparateproperty.  L    T.C.A.364121(b)(1)(B)specificallyprovidesthat thevalueofvestedpension,retirement $  orotherfringebenefitrightsaccruedduringtheperiodofthemarriageismaritalproperty.Pension   interests,whethervestedorunvested,aremaritalpropertyandsubjecttoequitabledivision. See   Kendrickv.Kendrick ,902S.W.2d918,921(Tenn.Ct.App.1994).Thesameistruefor   nondisabilitymilitaryretirementbenefits. Id. at926. In Kendrick ,theMiddleSectionsetoutfour   principlestoassistcourtsvaluinganddistributingpensionrightsconsistentwiththestatute: p 8  First,pensionrightsaccruedduringamarriagewillbeclassifiedasmaritalproperty H eventhoughthenon-employeespousedidnotmakedirectcontributionstothe 4 increaseinthepension'svalue.Second,onlypensionrightsaccruingduringthe  p marriagewillbeconsideredmaritalproperty.Third,thedifficultyinvaluing  \ pensionrightshasnobearingontheclassificationofthepensionasmaritalproperty. H Fourth,thepensionrightsmustbevaluedasofadateasnearaspossibletothefinal 4 divorcehearingdate.    902S.W.2dat92627(footnotesomitted).Baseduponthisanalysis,thetrialcourtshouldhave  classifiedMr.Flemingsmilitaryretirementbenefitswhichaccruedduringthecouplesmarriageas  maritalproperty.  #  2      ׀Baseduponthesamereasoning,weholdthatthetrialcourtshouldalsohave  classifiedMs.Flemingsannuityasmaritalproperty. l   Becausethetrialcourtmustrevisittheissueofdistributionofmaritalproperty,wewill D! vacatethealimonyawardforreconsiderationbythecourtonremand. 0"    Astotheissueofattorneysfees,wenotethatt  hetrialcourtisaffordeddiscretionconcerning $X" whethertoawardattorneysfeesinadivorcecase. SeeLongv.Long ,957S.W.2d825,829(Tenn. $D # App.1997).Onappeal,anappellatecourtshallnotinterferewiththetrialcourtsdecisionexcept %0!$ uponashowingofanabuseofthatdiscretion. Id. Forthesereasons,weholdthatthetrialcourtdid &"%  noterrinfailingtoawardMs.Flemingattorneysfees. '#&   Onremand,thetrialcourtisdirectedtoclassifyWifesannuityand60%ofHusbands   militaryretirementbenefitasmaritalpropertyandmakeanequitabledivisionthereof.Thetrialcourt  mayexerciseitsdiscretionastothemannerofeffectuatingthedivision. SeeHooverv.Hoover ,  1998WL927279at*2(Tenn.Ct.App.1998).Wenotethatshouldthetrialcourtdecidetoaward t WifeaportionofHusbandsmilitaryretirement,Wifeisentitledtoreceivethatportiondirectlyfrom ` thefederalgovernment. See 10U.S.C.1408(d)(1). L    Thedecreeofthetrialcourtisvacatedandthecaseisremandedforfurtherproceedings $ t consistentwiththisopinion.Costsoftheappealareassessedequallytotheparties,WilliamA.  ` Flemingand_Leatha_ԀG.Flemingandtheirsureties.#AXXm #XmXA  L     `     h   __________________________________________      `     h   W.FRANKCRAWFORD,PRESIDINGJUDGE,W.S.