MATTER OF GUINAN v. HALL

ORDERED that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs.

Contrary to the petitioner's contention, the Family Court properly considered his 1993 and 1996 Federal income tax returns in determining the extent to which a downward modification of his maintenance obligation was warranted. 1993 was the last full tax year before the parties entered into a stipulation settling the issue of maintenance in their matrimonial action, and 1996 was the last full tax year before the petitioner filed the instant application for downward modification. Accordingly, comparison of these tax returns represented an appropriate basis for measuring the reduction in income alleged by the petitioner (see, Klapper v. Klapper, 204 A.D.2d 518 ; Giambattista v. Giambattista, 154 A.D.2d 920 ). Furthermore, under the circumstances of this case, the Family Court did not err in reducing the petitioner's maintenance obligation by less than the full amount requested (see, Matter of Courtney v. Brownstein, 228 A.D.2d 810 ; Mangino v. Mangino, 216 A.D.2d 369 ).

O'BRIEN, J.P., SANTUCCI, ALTMAN, and KRAUSMAN, JJ., concur.