During a divorce, it’s important to stay alert to hidden tax implications.
A husband might have purchased stock for $50 during the marriage,” said Denmon. “The stock has gone up in value so that at the time of the divorce, the husband ends up transferring $75 to the wife. If not otherwise addressed in the divorce settlement, the husband may be on the hook to pay taxes on the $25 gain on the stock.
Spouses who are receiving real estate, stocks or bonds need to understand that taxable gains can leave them vulnerable.
As always, every situation is unique. This series is intended to “start the thinking process” to take emotive choices out of a hard situation. Everyone’s situation is different, and this is not intended as legal advice. Please, speak to a divorce attorney prior to making any decisions, especially decisions based on a simple blog post. There are many mitigating factors that will go into the final divorce decree.