#9: Tax Preparation Timing During and After Divorce
This is the ninth installment of “Divorce. What You Need to Think About from a Financial Perspective”, which can be downloaded for FREE from makara-assoc.com.
When preparing for tax filing during or after a divorce, the two dates I consider to be the most important are the date divorce petition was filed and December 31 of each year.
Pending divorces can often go on for more than one filing year.
Filing Date
In most states the filing date, by either party, is when you become financially separated. However, this is not true for every asset. Retirement plans are usually marked by the date of distribution and appreciating or depreciation assets (i.e. principle residence). This can be valued once an agreement is reached.
December 31st
December 31st is the last day of the tax year. It is the determining factor in a couple’s filing status. If you are legally married on December 31, you have two options when it comes to filing tax returns.
