Alimony

9 replies
77 views

I paid alimony to me ex lasy year. How do i file that in my taxes. Its 300 a month.

CritterAnswer

Level 15

Expert Reviewed

Can I deduct alimony I paid to my ex-spouse?

You can deduct alimony paid to a former spouse as long the divorce or separation agreement is executed by December 31, 2018.

Alimony payments resulting from agreements executed after that date can no longer be deducted due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that Congress signed into law on December 22, 2017. The same holds true for agreements modified after 2018 if the new version specifically states that the TCJA treatment of nondeductible alimony payments now applies.

To enter your alimony payments:

Open (continue) your return in TurboTax.
Inside the program, search for alimony paidand then click the "Jump to" link in the search results.
Answer Yes on the Alimony Paid to a Former Spousescreen and follow the onscreen instructions.

Unlike alimony payments, you can't deduct child support. Read more

Related Information:

CritterAnswer

Level 15

Expert Reviewed

Can I deduct alimony I paid to my ex-spouse?

You can deduct alimony paid to a former spouse as long the divorce or separation agreement is executed by December 31, 2018.

To enter your alimony payments:

Open (continue) your return in TurboTax.
Inside the program, search for alimony paidand then click the "Jump to" link in the search results.
Answer Yes on the Alimony Paid to a Former Spousescreen and follow the onscreen instructions.

Unlike alimony payments, you can't deduct child support. Read more

Related Information:

Ozzie584Author

Level 2

Thank you for your quick response.

DoninGA

Level 15

To enter alimony paid -

Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home and Business)
Click on Deductions and Credits
Click on I'll choose what I work on (if shown)
Scroll down to Other Deductions and Credits
On Alimony Paid, click the start or update button

Or enter alimony paid in the Search box located in the upper right of the program screen. Click on Jump to alimony paid

Alimonies for divorces and separations finalized after 2018 are no longer taxable or deductible.

s61wood

Level 2

I received alimony from my ex. Where do I place this? It's extra income that I couldn't find to place on my return

DoninGA

Level 15

@s61wood wrote:

I received alimony from my ex. Where do I place this? It's extra income that I couldn't find to place on my return

To enter Alimony payments received -

Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home and Business)
Click on Wages and Income (Personal Income using Home and Business)
Click on I'll choose what I work on (if shown)
Scroll down to Less Common Income
On Alimony Received, click the start or update button

Or enter alimony received in the Search box located in the upper right of the program screen. Click on Jump to alimony received

Alimonies for divorces and separations finalized after 2018 are no longer taxable or deductible.

Tenacious1

Level 2

I want to make absolute certain I don't make a mistake on my taxes and wish to clarify, as my situation seems to be right on the cusp of the tax code change.

My former spouse filed for divorce in mid 2017. I was granted temporary "reduced" maintenance support in late 2017. Maintenance was reduced as we still resided in the same house, but a few weeks after the reduced maintenance was provided, we physically spearated (still late 2017). In early 2018, we signed a stipulation giving me sole access to the residence but I was required to make the mortgage payment, I also received majority custody of our child but child support wasn't ordered until the end of the first quarter of 2018, which modified the late 2017 support order. On my 2018 filing I was required to list the reduced maintenance as spousal support income and pay taxes on it.

Our divorce finalized in early 2020. With our divorce being filed in 2017 and maintenance initially ordered in 2017, am I still subject to pay taxes on support (since it was prior to 2018) OR is support no longer taxable due to my divorce and support being finalized in early 2020?

Also, should I have been required to pay taxes on temporary maintenance support in 2018, since my divorce was not final and the support order was modified to include child support at the end of the first quarter of 2018?

I greatly appreciate any assistance with my questions!!