Filing taxes during divorce proceedings - need advice for 2025

Thanks for the detailed explanation. We're definitely not on good enough terms to file jointly, so it sounds like I'll need to go with married filing separately. Do I need some kind of documentation from her about the mortgage payments she made versus what I paid earlier in the year? And is there any chance of me claiming one child and her claiming the other, or does the same "custodial parent" rule apply to both kids?

You should keep records of all mortgage payments you personally made, like bank statements or canceled checks. It's best to have documentation showing exactly what portion you paid versus what she paid. You don't necessarily need documentation from her, but having clear records of your own payments is crucial. Regarding the children, even when filing separately, the custodial parent rule applies to each child individually. So if one child primarily lived with you and the other with your ex, you could each claim the child who lived with you. But if both children primarily lived with her, she would be entitled to claim both unless she gives you Form 8332 for one or both children. This form releases the custodial parent's claim to the dependency exemption.

Does this actually work with complicated situations? My divorce involves a business we owned together and I'm worried about potential tax implications when we split those assets. Can this handle something that complex or is it just for basic filing status questions?

I'm skeptical of AI tax tools. How does it compare to just going to a CPA who specializes in divorce situations? Seems like with something this important you'd want an actual human looking at your specific documents.

It absolutely works with complex situations. I had rental properties that were being divided in my divorce, and the tool helped me understand the tax implications of various division scenarios. The system asks detailed questions about your specific situation, including business interests, and provides guidance tailored to your circumstances. It's not just generic advice. The AI is trained on actual tax code and regulations, but you're right that some situations might benefit from a human CPA. What I found helpful was using taxr.ai first to understand my options and get educated about the relevant tax issues, which made my later conversation with my accountant much more productive and focused. I was able to ask specific questions instead of paying them to explain basics, and that saved me money on professional fees.

How does this even work? I don't understand how they can get through when regular people can't. Does the IRS give them special access or something? Seems fishy.

This sounds like complete BS. I've never heard of a service that can magically get you through to the IRS faster. The IRS phone lines are a disaster for everyone. I seriously doubt this works as advertised. Probably just takes your money and you still wait forever.

It's actually very straightforward. They use an automated system that continuously redials the IRS and navigates through the phone tree. There's no special access or relationship with the IRS - they're just using technology to handle the frustrating wait times. When they reach a human agent, they connect you to the call. You still talk directly with an official IRS representative. I was skeptical too until I tried it. The IRS phone systems are overwhelmed, especially during tax season, but Claimyr's system is persistent in a way individual callers can't be. I got connected to an IRS agent in about 2 hours (instead of the days of trying I had already wasted). The IRS agent had no idea I'd used a service to reach them - to them it was just a regular call transfer.

Thanks for pointing that out about the child support. I didn't think it was deductible but wasn't 100% sure. Do you know if there are any tax benefits I can still get even with the married filing separately status? I'm worried my tax bill is going to be much higher now.

While married filing separately does limit many tax benefits, you can still claim some deductions. You can take your portion of mortgage interest and property taxes if you itemize (though remember you can only deduct what you actually paid). You can still contribute to retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, though income limits for deductible IRA contributions are much lower when filing separately. You might still qualify for the child and dependent care credit if you're the custodial parent, but the income limits are lower. And don't forget that you can still take your standard deduction - it's just half of what joint filers get. Your tax professional can run scenarios to see whether itemizing or taking the standard deduction benefits you more in your specific situation.

Just want to add to this - if you're losing health insurance coverage because of divorce, that counts as a qualifying life event that lets you enroll in a marketplace plan outside of open enrollment. You have 60 days from when you lose coverage to enroll. Don't wait until the divorce is final if your coverage will end before then!

You definitely want to include specific language about how uncovered medical expenses will be split (like 50/50 or proportional to income). Make sure it clearly defines what counts as a medical expense - does it include just doctor visits and prescriptions, or also dental, vision, therapy, and orthodontics? Also include details about who needs to approve non-emergency medical treatments, how information about health issues will be shared between parents, and how reimbursement will work (timeframes for providing receipts and making payments). The more specific you can make these provisions, the fewer conflicts you'll have later. And remember that medical expense arrangements for the children can be modified in the future if circumstances change significantly.