RENZI v. RENZI (2024)

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

It is hereby ORDERED that the order so appealed from is unanimously affirmed without costs.

Memorandum: In this matrimonial action, defendant husband appeals from an order, issued after a remittal from this Court (Renzi v. Renzi, 217 A.D.3d 1336, 191 N.Y.S.3d 248 [4th Dept. 2023]), that, among other things, awarded plaintiff wife maintenance, above the presumptive amount under Domestic Relations Law § 236 (B) (6), until the husband reaches the age of 67. We affirm.

Contrary to the husband's contention, Supreme Court did not err in awarding the wife maintenance above the presumptive amount until the husband reaches the age of 67. “[A]s a general rule, the amount and duration of maintenance are matters committed to the sound discretion of the trial court” (Anastasi v. Anastasi, 207 A.D.3d 1131, 1131, 170 N.Y.S.3d 794 [4th Dept. 2022] [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Mehlenbacher v. Mehlenbacher, 199 A.D.3d 1304, 1307, 158 N.Y.S.3d 450 [4th Dept. 2021]). Although this Court's authority in determining issues of maintenance is “as broad as that of the trial court” (Anastasi, 207 A.D.3d at 1131, 170 N.Y.S.3d 794 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Reed v. Reed, 55 A.D.3d 1249, 1251, 865 N.Y.S.2d 414 [4th Dept. 2008]), generally, this Court “will not disturb the determination of maintenance absent an abuse of discretion” (Anastasi, 207 A.D.3d at 1131, 170 N.Y.S.3d 794 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Wilkins v. Wilkins, 129 A.D.3d 1617, 1618, 12 N.Y.S.3d 451 [4th Dept. 2015]).

Here, the court properly considered, among other things, the length of the parties’ marriage, the age and current health of the parties, the parties’ present and future earning potential, and the parties’ standard of living during the marriage. We conclude that “[t]he court properly considered [the wife's] reasonable needs and predivorce standard of living in the context of the other enumerated statutory factors” (Peck v. Peck, 167 A.D.3d 1518, 1519, 90 N.Y.S.3d 770 [4th Dept. 2018] [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Domestic Relations Law § 236 [B] [6]). Although the husband contends that the court erred in finding him in good health inasmuch as he has a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, the record establishes that, at the time of the court's decision, he was able to continue working with no restrictions. We perceive no abuse of discretion here, and we decline to substitute our discretion for that of the court.