Finn v. Finn, COA 19-520 (Unpublished opinion) Alimony can be a complex element in divorce. How much is fair and reasonable, how it is categorized for tax purposes, or even whether it is owed at all are matters often left to the discretion of judges. Here in the Piedmont area…
Articles Posted in divorce
Facing the Music: Innocent Spouse Relief
Henry v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 201924, 2019 WL 1385242 (2019) (a) Facts: Husband and wife married in 1997 and divorced in 2013. While the divorce case was pending, the parties filed a joint income tax return for tax year 2012. The return did not report $14,650 in income earned…
Know Your Finances! Hardships and Settlements: Heedram v. Comm’r (2018)
Heedram v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2018‑25, 2018 WL 1193421 (2018) (a) Facts: A husband and wife married in 2011 and divorced in 2015. During the marriage, the wife earned most of the parties’ income and handled the parties’ finances. She had unpaid federal taxes from before the marriage. The…
Better Late Than Never…but Never Late Is Better; QDROs and Laches.
In re Beeghley, ___ Fed. App’x ___, 2018 WL 3060089 (3d Cir. 2018) (unpublished) (a) Facts: The parties were divorced in Delaware in 1995. The trial court divided the husband’s pension and ordered the wife to prepare a DRO. No DRO was ever signed. The husband remarried, and he…
“Return to Sender”
Stephens v. Alliant Techsystems Corp., 714 F. App’x 841 (10th Cir. 2017) (unpublished) (a) Facts: A husband divorced in Utah. A Utah state court entered at least two DROs dividing retirement benefits, each time reserving jurisdiction to amend the order in the future. The plan qualified the DROs. The…
Compliance is Key!
Kirkpatrick v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2018-20, 2018 WL 1040955 (2018) (a) Facts: The wife sued the husband for divorce in Maryland. A Maryland court issued a pendente lite order, providing for temporary support. In addition, the order required the husband to “transfer to Ms. Kirkpatrick the sum of One…
“Not for Profit”…Part 2
Lucas v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2018‑80, 2018 WL 2948427 (2018) (a) Facts: The parties divorced in Florida in 2011. While the divorce was pending, the husband was in the process of liquidating his business, Vicis Capital, LLC. He received, while the action was pending, $4.7 million in distributions. Florida…
“Not for Profit” … Part 1
Barry v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2017-237, 2017 WL 5899406 (2017) (a) Facts: When the parties were divorced, the husband agreed to pay the wife $2,400 per month in alimony. Twenty-four years later, the husband filed an action against the wife in federal court for breach of contract, arguing that…
“Til’ Debt Do Us Part”…Bankruptcy and Alimony Settlements
Davidson v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2018-38, 2018 WL 1611811 (2018) (a) Facts: The parties were divorced by an Arkansas court, and the divorce decree divided the parties’ debt. Within a few days after the decree was entered the judge sent the parties a letter, which stated: When I made…