Stapleton v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2015-171, 2015 WL 5049758 Facts: A father and mother had two children. The parents were never married. No court was ever asked to decide custody, but the parents agreed that the father would have the children every Monday and Wednesday night and every other weekend. In…
Articles Posted in CPAVille
If you coerce your spouse into filing a joint tax return, don’t expect to be granted innocent spouse relief
Hiramanek v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2016-92, 2016 WL 2763870 (2016) Facts: The husband prepared a joint tax return for tax year 2006 and asked the wife to sign it. She refused to sign without reading it, and he permitted her to take a quick glance at the return. She noticed that…
Yes, the Government CAN Ignore Your Order
State Farm Life & Assurance Co. v. Goecks, F. Supp. 3d , 2016 WL 1715205 (W.D. Wis. 2016) Facts: A Wisconsin divorce decree provided: The respondent [Gary] shall be required to maintain the petitioner [Sharon] as the primary, irrevocable beneficiary on one third of the face value of all his…
When Stock Options Aren’t an Option in Divorce
Family Chiropractic Sports Injury & Rehab Clinic, v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2016-10, 2016 WL 234515 (2016) Facts: Husband and wife operated a chiropractic The practice had an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”). Husband and wife were the only participants. The parties were divorced in Iowa. The decree was silent on…
The Waiting Game Can be a Dangerous One
Dahl Aerospace Employees’ Ret. Plan of Aerospace Corp., 122 F. Supp. 3d 453 (E.D. Va. 2015) Facts: A Virginia divorce decree, incorporating a settlement agreement, gave each spouse the option to elect survivor benefits under the retirement plan of the other. This provision was not immediately stated in a DRO…
It takes Two to Tango…..but Maybe it Shouldn’t (Belot v. Comm’r)
Belot v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2016-113, 2016 WL 3248031 (2016) Facts: During their marriage, the parties operated a dance studio. The business consisted of an S corporation which was the actual studio, an LLC which operated a boutique selling dance clothing, and another LLC which owned the real estate on…
When Death is not the end, the IRS steps in: Part 2 of 2
Anderson v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2016-47, 2016 WL 976816 (2016) Facts: An Alabama court entered a pretrial order in a divorce case, requiring both parties to “[m]aintain status quo as to payment of house note or rent, utilities, food, necessities, fixed credit obligations, ” 2016 WL 976816, at *1. After…
When Death is not the end, the IRS steps in: Part 1 of 2
Wolens v. United States, 125 Fed. Cl. 422 (2016) Facts: The parties married in New York, but divorced in England. Their English divorce decree provided for a large initial payment to be made by the husband to the wife, followed by annual payments of £441,667 in 2007, 2008, and 2009.…
The Taxpayer Who Cried Wolf (Hardin v. Comm’r)
Hardin v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2016-141, 2016 WL 4006806 (2016) Facts: Husband and wife were married in During the marriage, the husband was partner in a law firm, and he also ran a sports management business. The wife was owner and president of a financial planning company. The husband was…
Planning for Retirement Post-Divorce
Carolyn Woodruff, a North Carolina CPA and Family Law Specialist, frequently is faced in sending a divorce client in the right direction after receiving a retirement plan in a divorce settlement. Here are her thoughts on the subject: The recipient may be receiving generally one or more of three…