GLORIA ESPINOZA BULATAO v. ALEXANDER MACARAEG BULATAO

1 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 2 COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO 3 UNIFIED FAMILY COURT 4

5) 6 GLORIA ESPINOZA BULATAO,) Case Number: FDI-25-801861) 7 Petitioner) Hearing Date: April 16, 2026) 8 VS.) Hearing Time: 9:00 AM) 9 ALEXANDER MACARAEG BULATAO,) Department: 404) 10 Respondent) Presiding: AI MORI) 11) 12 REQUEST FOR ORDER SPOUSAL OR PARTNER SUPPORT, ATTORNEY FEES AND COSTS, 13 PROPERTY CONTROL 14 TENTATIVE RULING 15 Having read and considered the pleadings, declarations, and other evidence submitted in this matter, the 16 Court makes the following findings and orders: 17 A. Procedural History 18 1) Petitioner Gloria Espinoza Bulatao (Wife) and Respondent Alexander Macaraeg Bulatao 19 (Husband) married on 6/8/2002.

The parties agree their date of separation is 5/15/2025, for a 20 marriage of 22 years and 11 months. The parties have one adult daughter and no minor children. 21 Husband is self-represented. Attorney Charles Young will be representing Wife at the 4/16/2026 22 hearing in limited scope. 23 2) On for hearing is Husband’s Request for Order filed 2/13/2026. Husband states he has not been 24 employed since 2020, and he has been receiving Social Security income of $1,099 per month 25 since he turned 62 in January 2024.

Husband states that on 5/15/2025 he left the marital residence 26 with just two bags of clothing and went to go live with his sister in Carson, CA. Husband asks the 27 Court to: 28 a. Award him guideline temporary spousal support of $3,186 per month retroactive to the 29 date of filing of the Request for Order;

1 b. Permit Husband to access the marital residence and retrieve his clothing, shoes, tools 2 (hydraulic crocodile jack (2); jack stand; electric pressure washer; gas pressure washer; 3 25 gallon compressor; 6 gallon compressor; electric wood cutter (2); cordless saw; 4 cordless hand drill; cordless right angle grinder; corded miter saw; corded oscillating 5 multi tool; multi-purpose vise; tool box; assorted tools; Little Giant ladder (2); sewing 6 machine; jump start charger (2)), jewelry (Movado watch; Rolex watch; Omega watch; 3 7 diamond rings), all personal belongings, and the 2015 Lexus GS 350; 8 c.

Award him $15,000 in need-based attorney’s fees and costs “if Petitioner retains her own 9 attorney... so that I may retain an attorney to protect my interests;” and 10 d. Award him $1,700 for fees incurred by Husband to hire legal document assistant Premier 11 Legal Documents. 12 3) On 2/13/2026, Husband filed an Income and Expense Declaration stating that he is 63 years old 13 and has been unemployed since 2013 (although Husband stated in his Request for Order that he 14 was most recently laid off in March 2020).

The only income Husband reports is $1,099 per month 15 in Social Security income. Husband states that his estimated monthly expenses total $3,480. 16 Husband states that he has $3,000 in cash, $0 in investments and $1.2 million in real property. 17 Husband states that he owes $3,200 in credit card debt. 18 4) On 2/20/2026, Husband filed a second Request for Order that is identical to his Request for Order 19 filed 2/13/2026, which also was set for hearing on 4/21/2026. 20 5) On 4/3/2026, Wife filed a Responsive Declaration.

Wife states she is turning 68 on 4/12/2026 and 21 will retire on 4/13/2026. Wife states she is currently receiving $3,215 per month in Social 22 Security income and that when she retires she expects to receive $2,032 per month in pension 23 income. Wife states that Husband is 62 years old and is unemployed even though he is not of 24 retirement age. Wife states that Husband chose to begin collecting Social Security income early 25 and therefore does not receive his full benefits. Mother also states that she has paid her current 26 consulting attorney $11,690 ($5,000 of which is held in retainer) and that fees incurred for work 27 in progress is $7,954 as of 3/31/2026.

Wife asks the Court to: 28

1 a. Award Husband temporary spousal support, but impute minimum wage income to 2 Respondent and reduce spousal support “dollar-for-dollar... based on expense paid by his 3 sister with whom he lives;” 4 b. Issue a Gavron warning against Husband; 5 c. Deny Husband’s request for attorney’s fees and costs; 6 d. Order Husband to immediately assume payment of his monthly life insurance policy 7 premiums ($699.48 per month which is debited from the parties’ joint account) or else 8 the policy will be canceled, or permit Wife to deduct from Husband’s support the 9 monthly amount to cover this expense; 10 e.

Order the parties to cooperate to coordinate a date and time for Husband to retrieve the 11 belongings he listed in his Request for Order except for the 2015 Lexus GS 350 (which 12 Wife contends was purchased by her, was paid for her by her and their adult daughter, 13 and is titled under the names of Wife and the parties’ adult daughter) 14 6) On 4/3/2026, Wife filed a Statement of Support Calculations. Wife provides two support 15 calculations, one for the period 2/13/2026 (date of filing of the Request for Order) through 16 4/12/2026 which shows guideline support owed by Wife of $1,513 per month and one for the 17 period commencing 4/13/2026 (Wife’s retirement date) which shows guideline support owed by 18 Wife of $120 per month.

Wife states these support calculations are “without prejudice” to Wife’s 19 request that support for Husband be reduced by the expenses paid by Husband’s sister with whom 20 he resides. 21 7) On 4/3/2026, Wife filed an Income and Expense Declaration stating that she is 67 years old. In 22 addition to her employment income (which Wife states will end on 4/13/2026), Wife currently 23 receives $3,240 per month in Social Security income. Wife states her monthly expenses total 24 $8,778. Wife states she has $1,163 in cash savings, $0 in investments, and $991,500 in real and 25 personal property.

Wife also states she owes $18,389 in credit card debt. 26 8) On 4/3/2026, Wife’s consulting attorney Charles Young filed a declaration. Mr. Young states that 27 Wife has paid his form $11,690 thus far and work in progress as of 3/31/2026 totals $7,954. Mr. 28 Young anticipates that Wife will incur an additional $15,000 to finalize this case. 29

1 9) On 4/8/2026, Husband filed a Reply Declaration. Husband states his employment opportunities 2 are very limited due to his age, the fact that he does not speak English fluently, only has a high 3 school diploma, and does not have a vehicle to get to and from a job. Husband states it would be 4 inequitable to impute income to him without further evidence confirming he could obtain full- 5 time gainful employment. Husband also states he has been receiving $1,130 per month from 6 social security since 1/1/2026.

Husband states he is currently paying his sister $500 per month for 7 rent which leaves him with $630 per month to cover living expenses. Husband asks the Court to 8 deny Wife’s request that support be reduced by any financial support received from his sister 9 because it is not his sister’s responsibility to financially support him. Husband states the parties 10 have three cars, a 2011 Lexus RX 350, a 2015 Lexus GS 350, and a 2021 Lexus NX 300. 11 Husband states all cars are paid in full and all are titled under Wife’s name because his credit 12 “was not good.”

Husband states he was the one driving the 2015 Lexus GS. Husband states that if 13 Wife wishes to change title to Husband to avoid liability issues, he would agree to that and he 14 would also agree to pay the car insurance. Husband states he needs a vehicle to “get around and 15 to obtain employment.” Husband further states that he is agreeable to Wife cancelling the life 16 insurance policy. Husband provides two support calculations, one for the period 2/13/2026 (date 17 of filing of the Request for Order) through 4/12/2026 which shows guideline support owed by 18 Wife of $3,248 per month and one for the period commencing 4/13/2026 (Wife’s retirement date) 19 which shows guideline support owed by Wife of $1,346 per month. 20 B.

Findings and Order 21 1) The parties shall arrange a date and time for Husband to come to the marital residence via a civil 22 standby to retrieve the following items: 23 a. His clothing; 24 b. His shoes; 25 c. His tools (specifically, the hydraulic crocodile jack (2); jack stand; electric pressure 26 washer; gas pressure washer; 25 gallon compressor; 6 gallon compressor; electric wood 27 cutter (2); cordless saw; cordless hand drill; cordless right angle grinder; corded miter 28 saw; corded oscillating multi tool; multi-purpose vise; tool box; assorted tools; Little 29 Giant ladder (2); sewing machine; jump start charger (2)); and

1 d. His jewelry (specifically, the Movado watch; Rolex watch; Omega watch; 3 diamond 2 rings). 3 2) Notwithstanding this Court’s order permitting Huband to take possession of the items of personal 4 property listed above, the Court’s jurisdiction to adjudicate the characterization of the parties’ 5 personal property and make an order requiring any equalizing payment due for the parties’ 6 personal property, including the items listed above, is reserved. 7 3) Given that Husband does not dispute that the parties’ adult daughter is on title of the 2015 Lexus 8 GS 350, the parties’ adult daughter is not a party to this action, and the character of this vehicle is 9 currently disputed, the Court is unwilling at this time to award temporary possession of this 10 vehicle to Husband.

Husband’s request for temporary possession of the 2015 Lexus GS 350 is 11 denied. This order is without prejudice to the Court’s ability to adjudicate characterization and 12 award of this vehicle to either party at trial and / or within a final Judgment. 13 4) The Court finds good cause to grant Wife’s request to impute Husband with full-time minimum 14 wage income. The Court finds that Husband has both the ability and opportunity to earn at least 15 full-time minimum wage income (which is currently $17.81 per hour in Los Angeles County 16 where Husband resides) and that Husband has not been using his best efforts to become self- 17 supporting since the parties’ date of separation nearly one year ago. 18 5) Because the Court is imputing Husband with full-time minimum wage income and neither party 19 has provided evidence to show that Husband has the capacity to earn more than full-time 20 minimum wage income, Wife’s request for a Gavron warning is denied. 21 6) Wife’s request that the Court reduce spousal support by any financial support provided by 22 Husband’s sister is denied.

The Court does not have evidence before it that Husband’s sister is 23 providing financial assistance to Husband that could be considered income to Husband (e.g., 24 monthly cash payments). 25 7) For the period 2/13/2026 (filing date of Husband’s Request for Order) through 4/12/2026 (Wife’s 26 last day of work), in accordance with the XSpouse calculation attached hereto and incorporated 27 herein, the Court hereby orders Husband to pay to Wife $1,607 per month in temporary guideline 28 spousal support.

The Court finds that Wife owes to Husband spousal support arrears for this 29 period in the amount of $3,214. Commencing 5/15/2026, Wife shall pay this amount to Husband

1 in monthly installments of $500 by the 15th of each month until this balance is satisfied. The last 2 payment will be in the amount of $714. 3 8) Effective 4/13/2026, in accordance with the XSpouse calculation attached hereto and 4 incorporated herein, Wife shall pay to Husband temporary guideline spousal support in the 5 amount of $64 per month. This amount shall be due and payable by the 15th of each month. Wife 6 shall pay to Husband the amount of $36 for the period 4/13/2026 – 4/30/2026 no later than 7 4/15/2026. 8 9) Commencing 4/13/2026, after Wife pays spousal support to Husband, Wife will have 56% of the 9 parties’ combined net spendable income and Husband will have 44% of the parties’ combined net 10 spendable income.

Considering this as well as the parties’ monthly expenses, assets, and debts, 11 the Court does not find that there is a disparity in access to funds to pay legal fees and the Court 12 does not find that Wife has the ability to both pay for her own attorney’s fees and make any 13 contribution towards Husband’s attorney’s fees. Husband’s request for need-based attorney’s fees 14 and costs is denied. 15 10) Husband is in agreement to cancel his life insurance policy. Husband is ordered to cancel his life 16 insurance policy immediately.

Any premiums charged to the joint account on or after 4/16/2026 17 shall be Husband’s sole responsibility. The Court reserves jurisdiction to determine any 18 reimbursement claims owed for life insurance premiums debited from the parties’ joint account 19 between the date of separation through 4/15/2026. 20 11) Wife’s attorney shall prepare the Findings and Order After Hearing, which shall include as 21 attachments the two XSpouse calculations. 22 12) Preparation of Order: If you are directed by the court to prepare the order after hearing – within 23 10 calendar days of the hearing you must either: (a) Serve the proposed order to the other 24 party/counsel for approval, and follow the procedures set forth in CA Rules of Court, Rule 25 5.125(c), or (b) If the other party did not appear or the matter was uncontested, submit the 26 proposed order after hearing directly to the court.

Failure to submit the order after hearing within 27 10 days may allow the other party to prepare a proposed order and submit it to the court in 28 accordance with CA Rules of Court, Rule 5.125(d). 29

bulatao v. bulatao xspouse 2.13.26 - 4.12.26.xsp Xspouse 2026-1-CA

Fixed Shares Husband Wife Monthly figures Cash Flow #of children 0 0 2026 Guideline Proposed % time with NCP 0.00 % 0.00 % Comb. net spendable 11975 11975 Filing status MFS-> <-MFS GUIDELINE Percent change 0% 0% # exemptions 1 * 1 Nets(adjusted) Husband Wages+salary 3087 8069 Husband 3537 Payment cost/benefit 1607 1607 Self-employed income 0 0 Wife 8438 Net spendable income 5144 5144 Other taxable income 1130 3215 Total 11975 Change from guideline 0 0 TANF+CS received 0 0 Support Other nontaxble income 0 0 Addons % of combined spendable 43% 43% 0 New spouse income 0 0 Guideln CS % of saving over guideline 0% 0% 0 401(k) employee contrib 0 100 Total taxes 680 680 S.Clara SS 1607 Adjustments to income 0 0 Dep. exemption value 0 0 Total 1607 SS paid prev marriage 0 0 # withholding allowances 0w 0w - CS paid prev marriage 0 0 Net wage paycheck 2479 2479 Health insurance 0 0 Wife Other medical expense 0 0 Payment cost/benefit -1607 -1607 Property tax expense 0 535 Net spendable income 6831 6831 Ded interest expense 0 320 Proposed Change from guideline 0 0 Charitable contributions 0 0 Tactic 9 % of combined spendable 57% 57% Misc tax deductions 0 0 CS 0 Qual bus income ded 0 0 SS % of saving over guideline 0% 0% 1607 Required union dues 0 118 Total Total taxes 2728 2728 1607 Mandatory retirement 0 0 Dep. exemption value 0 0 Hardship deduction 0 * 0 * Saving 0 # withholding allowances 0w 0w Other GDL deductions 0 0 Releases 0 Net wage paycheck 5599 5599 Child care expenses 0 0

Wife pays Guideline SS, Proposed SS

Time: 14:40:39 Superior Court of California Date: 04/14/26 County of San Francisco

bulatao v. bulatao xspouse effective 4.13.26.xsp Xspouse 2026-1-CA

Fixed Shares Husband Wife Monthly figures Cash Flow #of children 0 0 2026 Guideline Proposed % time with NCP 0.00 % 0.00 % Comb. net spendable 8118 8118 Filing status MFS-> <-MFS GUIDELINE Percent change 0% 0% # exemptions 1 * 1 Nets(adjusted) Husband Wages+salary 3087 0 Husband 3537 Payment cost/benefit 64 64 Self-employed income 0 0 Wife 4581 Net spendable income 3601 3601 Other taxable income 1130 5160 Total 8118 Change from guideline 0 0 TANF+CS received 0 0 Support Other nontaxble income 0 0 Addons % of combined spendable 44% 44% 0 New spouse income 0 0 Guideln CS % of saving over guideline 0% 0% 0 401(k) employee contrib 0 0 Total taxes 680 680 S.Clara SS 64 Adjustments to income 0 0 Dep. exemption value 0 0 Total 64 SS paid prev marriage 0 0 # withholding allowances 0w 0w - CS paid prev marriage 0 0 Net wage paycheck 2479 2479 Health insurance 0 0 Wife Other medical expense 0 0 Payment cost/benefit -64 -64 Property tax expense 0 535 Net spendable income 4517 4517 Ded interest expense 0 320 Proposed Change from guideline 0 0 Charitable contributions 0 0 Tactic 9 % of combined spendable 56% 56% Misc tax deductions 0 0 CS 0 Qual bus income ded 0 0 SS % of saving over guideline 0% 0% 64 Required union dues 0 0 Total Total taxes 579 579 64 Mandatory retirement 0 0 Dep. exemption value 0 0 Hardship deduction 0 * 0 * Saving 0 # withholding allowances 0w 0w Other GDL deductions 0 0 Releases 0 Net wage paycheck 0 0 Child care expenses 0 0

Wife pays Guideline SS, Proposed SS

Time: 14:43:33 Superior Court of California Date: 04/14/26 County of San Francisco