Lanier v. Lanier

Thompson, Justice.

After a bench trial, the trial court entered a final judgment and decree of divorce, terminating the 31-year marriage between appellee Sylvia Lanier and appellant Oscar Lanier, and awarding alimony to Ms. Lanier. In this appeal we are called upon to decide an issue of first impression in Georgia: whether certain retirement benefits Mr. Lanier expects to receive under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, 45 USC § 231 et seq., as amended in 1983 (“the Act”), may be considered as income to the recipient, and thus a source of alimony payments. We hold that they may, and we…