Children, Taxes & Divorce

With regard to alimony and child support there are many items to consider for the payer and the recipient.

For the Payer:
  • Alimony is tax-deductible 
  • Child support is not tax-deductible 
  • Generally, it benefits the payer to have as much of the support as possible be in the form of alimony 
  • Required payments like medical insurance, mortgage payments and car payments may be treated as alimony depending on the divorce agreement. 
  • One-time payments like property settlements may be structured in the form of periodic alimony which may benefit both parties.
For the Recipient:
  • Alimony is considered taxable income 
  • Child support is not considered taxable income However depending on the payer’s income the recipient may be provided with more money if more of the payments are classified as alimony
For Both: 
  • Keep in mind that if a payment is eliminated or reduced on a date when one or more or your children reaches a specific age it may be considered taxable income even if the divorce agreement calls it alimony.
These considerations are not meant to be a complete list and the good news is that one does not have to handle these changes alone. We can connect you to advocates who specialize in helping couples facing divorce make wise financial and tax decisions to give you control, clarity and confidence.

We are not accountants or attorneys and strongly recommend that you contact and experienced professional before making any tax and legal decisions.