C.A. 2nd;
B272324

The Second Appellate District affirmed family court orders. The court held that the family court did not abuse its discretion in finding that a spousal support obligor transferred his business to his current spouse for no consideration in order to avoid his support obligation.

Upon their divorce, Kevin Berman was ordered to pay Cathy Berman $9,500 per month in spousal support. The parties later stipulated to lowering that amount to $4,000. Kevin later moved to terminate spousal support, averring that, upon turning 65, he had turned his business over to his current wife to run. A “Transmutation Agreement” reflected that the business had been transferred to Kevin's current wife as her separate property. Kevin received no consideration for the transfer. In the year immediately preceding the transfer, the business had generated some $220,000 in annual income and had paid Kevin a salary of $50,000.