I don't know how responsible I am for the income tax on the first half of the year
2007-11-06 05:09:29 · 3 answers · asked by ouch 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Taxes ➔ United States
If you are divorced by Dec 31 and have no qualifying dependents, you would most likely file Single. You would claim your alimony and any other earnings (from a job, investments, etc) that belonged to you. If you have qualifying children you might qualify to file as Head of Household. Even if you don't use a professional to prepare your taxes you can still call them after January 2 and talk to them about what your proper filing status would be and if you are eligible for any credits. But you will only be responsible for money YOU earned, not your former spouse.
2007-11-06 05:18:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Which half of the year: the first or the second?
If you were married on the last day of the year, you can file as married filing jointly or as married filing separately.
If you were not married on the last day of the year, because you divorced during the year, then you file as single, unless you are eligible to file as head of household, and decide to do so.
If you were not married on the last day of the year, because your spouse died during the year, you can file as married filing jointly if you wish.
2. If you file as married filing jointly, you are each responsible for the tax on the income of both persons for the entire year. If you file as single or as married filing separately, you are responsible for the tax on your own income for the entire year and none of the tax on the other person's income for any of the year.
3. You are responsible for the tax on the alimony you received. All alimony is taxable and must be reported on the return of the recipient. The only exception is if the IRS determines that it was actually child support which was misidentified as alimony so that they payer could deduct it.
2007-11-06 06:23:54 · answer #2 · answered by StephenWeinstein 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your filing status is determined by your marital status as of Dec 31 of the year.
You'll claim the alimony as income.
You'll be filing on your own income only, for the entire year.
If you are in a community property state, and got divorced during the year, check with a CPA or with your lawyer.
2007-11-06 05:24:33 · answer #3 · answered by Judy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋