{"id":351748,"date":"2026-02-18T10:59:40","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T15:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/divorce\/divorce-taxes-and-your-estate-plan.html"},"modified":"2026-02-18T10:59:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T15:59:36","slug":"divorce-taxes-and-your-estate-plan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/divorce-taxes-and-your-estate-plan.html","title":{"rendered":"Divorce, Taxes, and Your Estate Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Divorce and Taxes<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/eric-harvey-j-d\/\">Eric Harvey, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/jordan-walker-j-d\/\">Jordan Walker, J.D.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            February 18, 2026\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-key-takeaways fl-mb30\" data-testid=\"fl-key-takeaways\">\n    <div class=\"fl-card-content\">\n        <div class=\"fl-card-body fl-card-bg-teal fl-flex fl-flex-column\">\n                            <h2 class=\"fl-card-title fl-h2 fl-no-margin\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n                        <p>A divorce can have an impact on your tax status. For example, you may lose the tax benefits and tax breaks of joint filing. You may also incur tax liabilities from back taxes or the sale of marital property.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Divorce has become an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/fastats\/marriage-divorce.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">everyday reality<\/a>\u00a0in the United States. If you plan to get a divorce, you should pay close attention to your short- and long-term tax exposure before dividing marital assets.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, divorcing spouses who are still legally married can save money if they file their taxes jointly. Read on to learn about the effects of divorce on taxes and your estate plan.<\/p>\n<h2>How Does Divorce Affect Taxes?<\/h2>\n<p>After a divorce, you need to remember:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>To give your employer a new W-4 form and Employee Withholding Certificate (you have 10 days to turn this form in)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/alimony-and-taxes.html\">Alimony payments<\/a>\u00a0set after 2018 are not deductible by the payer<\/li>\n<li>You will submit a married filing tax return until the divorce decree is final<\/li>\n<li>Your tax implications will change after divorce, and you may not save as much money<\/li>\n<li>Until you are officially divorced, your spouse&#8217;s financial decisions will have tax consequences on you. If you suspect illegal activity or financial harm, speak with an attorney immediately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Can Divorce Reduce Your Taxes?<\/h2>\n<p>Generally, your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/taxable-income.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">taxable income<\/a>, tax deductions, and tax brackets are given tax breaks while married. A divorce will take away many of the benefits of filing jointly.<\/p>\n<p>Once you file separate returns, there will be different standard deductions and tax refunds. You can speak with a tax advisor to see how your marital status will change your tax situation.<\/p>\n<h2>Filing Taxes When a Divorce Isn&#8217;t Final<\/h2>\n<p>If you get a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/annulments-overview.html\">decree of annulment<\/a>, you need to file an amended tax return for every tax year affected by the annulment.<\/p>\n<p>You also can legally separate or live separately from your spouse during a divorce. In these cases, you may be able to file as &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p504#en_US_2019_publink1000175857\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">head of household<\/a>.&#8221; Your divorce attorney should be able to answer your filing status tax questions while the divorce is in progress.<\/p>\n<h2>Income Taxes<\/h2>\n<p>For married couples, filing separate tax returns is incredibly costly. If you and your spouse can agree to continue to file jointly until the divorce is final, you&#8217;ll save yourself a lot of money.<\/p>\n<p>But be cautious because you&#8217;ll be jointly liable if your spouse incurs tax liabilities and penalties.<\/p>\n<h2>Who Owes Back Taxes After Divorce?<\/h2>\n<p>The back taxes you owe will be split up, and each person pays according to their taxable income, assets, and tax deductions. If your ex-spouse makes more money than you, they will likely need to pay more.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you make $40,000 and your ex makes $80,000, you would not split the back taxes 50\/50. You would pay less because of your income (unless you have other significant assets).<\/p>\n<p>Splitting the back taxes is helpful if you have tax debt after divorce. It allows each party to pay a percentage and does not throw your ex&#8217;s taxes all on your shoulders. To split your back taxes, you must fill out IRS Form 8857.<\/p>\n<h2>Joint Custody: Who Claims the Children on Their Taxes?<\/h2>\n<p>Unless a court decree stipulates otherwise,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/newsroom\/claiming-a-child-as-a-dependent-when-parents-are-divorced-separated-or-live-apart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the custodial parent is entitled to the dependency exemption<\/a>\u00a0(which can be released through\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/forms-pubs\/form-8332-release-revocation-of-release-of-claim-to-exemption-for-child-by-custodial-parent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Form 8332<\/a>). Only the custodial parent may take the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/the-child-tax-credit.html\">child care credit<\/a>, but both parents may be able to deduct medical expenses, regardless of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-custody\/child-custody-and-taxes.html\">custody<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you are the custodial parent, you can claim the children if:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The divorce or separation is legal, or you have lived apart for six months during the tax year<\/li>\n<li>Your kids received six months of financial support from you<\/li>\n<li>You had your kids in your primary home for six months (or more) out of the entire year<\/li>\n<li>You did not sign away your rights to claim your children<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you and your ex have a 50\/50 custody split, then the custodial parent has the higher income.<\/p>\n<p>If an ex-spouse claims the child on their taxes illegally, you should speak with a tax professional about the next steps. It is illegal for your ex to claim them if you are the custodial parent.<\/p>\n<h2>Transfer of Assets Between Spouses<\/h2>\n<p>The IRS generally doesn&#8217;t consider the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/codes.findlaw.com\/us\/title-26-internal-revenue-code\/26-usc-sect-1041\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transfer of assets between divorcing spouses<\/a>\u00a0a taxable event. If you show that divorce was the reason, you can transfer cash and assets between you and your divorcing spouse tax-free.<\/p>\n<p>But if you and your spouse have\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/divorce-property-division-faq.html\">accumulated assets<\/a>\u00a0such as mutual funds, stocks, bonds, or artwork, you can be subject to a large capital gains tax bill when you attempt to divide them.<\/p>\n<p>For example, when you buy stock shares from your spouse, the cost of that stock (for you) has risen. But you&#8217;ll still be taxed based on the capital gains earned between the time you and your spouse bought the stock at the original price and when you sell. Meanwhile, your ex-spouse doesn&#8217;t need to pay taxes on the money you paid to buy the stock from him or her.<\/p>\n<h2>Taxes on Selling Your Home<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">You may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for some married couples filing jointly) when you sell your main home if you owned and lived in it as your primary residence for at least two of the five years before the sale. You don\u2019t have to reinvest the sale proceeds to qualify for this exclusion, but if too much time passes after you move out, you can lose eligibility because you no longer meet the \u201ctwo\u2011out\u2011of\u2011five\u2011years\u201d use test.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Divorcing spouses who let one spouse remain in the home for several years after separation should consider how and when the house will be sold, and whether the divorce settlement should expressly allow the non\u2011resident ex\u2011spouse to continue to qualify for the home sale exclusion on their share of any gain. Couples can consider these types of tax issues when\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/sample-form-property-settlement-agreement.html\">working out an agreement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Retirement Funds and Taxes During Divorce<\/h2>\n<p>Retirement funds can be treated as marital property during a divorce settlement, so you may have to share retirement funds (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/divorce-remarriage-and-social-security.html\">including Social Security<\/a>) with your spouse. If your spouse has a right to a part of your retirement funds, you must adhere to the applicable tax laws when you make distributions. You cannot &#8220;alienate&#8221; or &#8220;assign&#8221; your qualified pension plan distributions to anyone else.<\/p>\n<h3>Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs)<\/h3>\n<p>If you have retirement funds that you must share with your spouse upon divorce, you should get a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). A QDRO is a court order detailing the proper procedure for distributing your retirement benefits in the future.<\/p>\n<p>It allows your benefits plan administrator to proceed with distributions as if you&#8217;re still married to your ex-spouse. This ensures that both parties receive their rightful benefits.<\/p>\n<p>The QDRO also resolves any issues if you or your ex-spouse remarries. Current and ex-spouses each receive a proportionate share of the plan distributions.<\/p>\n<h3>Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)<\/h3>\n<p>Upon divorce,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/socialsecurity\/retirement-planning\/ira-plan-faq.html\">IRAs<\/a>\u00a0are generally considered the sole property of the original owner. But if you contribute to your IRA from your earnings during your marriage, your spouse will be entitled to a proportionate amount of IRA assets. The exact distribution amount is subject to state laws.<\/p>\n<p>IRA funds can be transferred tax-free from one spouse to another by a written divorce decree. But if you&#8217;re the recipient of IRA funds, you can be responsible for a 20% federal income tax. Ask your IRA trustee to roll the funds into your own IRA to prevent this.<\/p>\n<h2>Updating Your Will and Power of Attorney<\/h2>\n<p>Taxes and property division aren&#8217;t the only financial considerations during divorce. Depending on how far along you and your spouse are in your estate plan, you&#8217;ll probably need to make a few updates to protect your finances. This includes updating any powers of attorney you have in place.<\/p>\n<p>In your beneficiary designations and life insurance policy, for example, it&#8217;s important to be sure that you properly designate who will receive payouts from the life insurance if you die. It&#8217;s important to make sure you properly state who will receive payouts that are payable on death.<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;ll also want to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/resources\/estate-planning\/last-will-and-testament\/changing-a-will.html\">update your will<\/a>. And even though you&#8217;re getting divorced, you may still want to leave your ex-spouse with something. Some states revoke all gifts left to your spouse in your will automatically on divorce. If this is not what you want, you may need to be more proactive in your stated intentions.<\/p>\n<p>In some states like Ohio, statutes provide for automatic revocation of any estate plan provisions that mention your former spouse. Be sure to check the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/state-laws-estates-probate.html\">applicable laws in your state<\/a>\u00a0and make any necessary changes. If you don&#8217;t, you may unintentionally leave property and assets to your former spouse.<\/p>\n<p>This process can be confusing. Laws dictating various aspects of divorce, estate planning, and taxes can vary quite a bit from one state to the next. It&#8217;s always a good idea to speak to an attorney.<\/p>\n<p>An attorney \u2014 an estate planning or a divorce lawyer \u2014 can help with the following situations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Handling rights of survivorship<\/li>\n<li>Titling of your property<\/li>\n<li>Drafting and negotiating your divorce settlement agreement<\/li>\n<li>Drafting living wills<\/li>\n<li>Drafting your last will and testament<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Estate planning attorneys may also help with the following, as well:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tax planning (although a tax attorney might even be a better option for this kind of legal issue, specifically)<\/li>\n<li>Establishing and maintaining an irrevocable trust or a revocable trust<\/li>\n<li>Designating a power of attorney or a health care power of attorney, the parties that will have decision-making powers in your long-term care plan in the event you become incapacitated and that can serve as your personal representative in legal processes<\/li>\n<li>Designating a health care proxy<\/li>\n<li>All legal aspects of the divorce process<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>At the same time, attorneys can also advise on the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Organizing some aspects of retirement plans<\/li>\n<li>Handling the administration of annuities<\/li>\n<li>Minimizing gift taxes<\/li>\n<li>Appearances in probate courts<\/li>\n<li>Distribution of assets post-divorce, including those related to real estate<\/li>\n<li>Any other part of your estate planning process<\/li>\n<li>What your surviving spouse will receive if you die<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Get Professional Help With Divorce and Taxes<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s important to note that this article does not constitute legal advice. If you&#8217;re dealing with tax issues during your divorce, you&#8217;ll want the help of an attorney experienced in divorce and tax law.<\/p>\n<p>Once you find a local\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/divorce\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">divorce attorney<\/a>, ask them about their experience handling tax-related issues or estate planning matters.<\/p>\n<p>The process of handling any divorce can be tricky, particularly when there are many assets at stake. After a divorce, be sure to protect your interests.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M6 21H3C2.46957 21 1.96086 20.7893 1.58579 20.4142C1.21071 20.0391 1 19.5304 1 19V12C1 11.4696 1.21071 10.9609 1.58579 10.5858C1.96086 10.2107 2.46957 10 3 10H6M13 8V4C13 3.20435 12.6839 2.44129 12.1213 1.87868C11.5587 1.31607 10.7956 1 10 1L6 10V21H17.28C17.7623 21.0055 18.2304 20.8364 18.5979 20.524C18.9654 20.2116 19.2077 19.7769 19.28 19.3L20.66 10.3C20.7035 10.0134 20.6842 9.72068 20.6033 9.44225C20.5225 9.16382 20.3821 8.90629 20.1919 8.68751C20.0016 8.46873 19.7661 8.29393 19.5016 8.17522C19.2371 8.0565 18.9499 7.99672 18.66 8H13Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\n                              stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3418\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <span class=\"was-this-helpful__taken-action fl-text-sm-bold\"><\/span>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-container\">\n        <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n            <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form\">\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--positive\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Easy to understand\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                        >Easy to understand<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Solved my problem\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                        >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Out of date\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\"><div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    You may not need an attorney for a simple divorce with uncontested issues\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Legal advice is critical to protect your interests in a contested divorce\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Divorce lawyers can help secure fair custody\/visitation, support, and property division\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>An attorney is a skilled advocate during negotiations and court proceedings. Many attorneys offer free consultations.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/divorce\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                src=\"https://www.findlaw.com/static/c/images\/images\/w_1200,c_limit,dpr_auto\/f_auto,q_auto:eco\/v1745902396\/ability-law\/wp-prod\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1.png?_i=AA\"\n                alt=\"\"\n                loading=\"lazy\"\n            \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-content fl-flex fl-flex-wrap\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-text fl-mb25\">\n            <h4 class=\"fl-no-margin\">Enter your email address to subscribe<\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <form class=\"email-subscription-content-form\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distributionList\" value=\"latl\" \/>\n            <label for=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" class=\"fl-text-sm-bold\">Email (Required)<\/label>\n            <div class=\"email-subscription-content-form-group\">\n                <input id=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" name=\"email\" autocomplete=\"email\"\/>\n                <button type=\"submit\" aria-label=\"Submit\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-success subscribe-success-message fl-text-sm-bold\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"status\">Thank you for subscribing!<\/p>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-error subscribe-error-message fl-text-sm-bold\" role=\"alert\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/p>\n\n            <div id=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha\" class=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha subscribe-recaptcha\"\n                data-sitekey=\"0x4AAAAAAABGBEkK9kEeKxO-\"><\/div>\n        <\/form>\n\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-footer fl-text-sm\">\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/newsletters.findlaw.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more about FindLaw\u2019s newsletters<\/a>, including our terms of use and privacy policy.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"general-list\">\n    <h3>Helpful Links<\/h3>\n    <ul class=\"fl-list fl-no-margin\">\n                                    <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce.html\">\n                        Divorce Overview\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage.html\">\n                        Marriage Overview\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support.html\">\n                        Child Support Overview\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"popularDirectory\">\n        <div class=\"general-popular-directory \">\n            <div class=\"general-popular-directory-title\">\n                <h3>Attorney Directory<\/h3>\n            <\/div>\n            <ul>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/divorce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Divorce Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/family-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/child-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Child Support Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/same-sex\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Same Sex Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/fathers-rights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Father&#8217;s Rights Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/adoption\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adoption Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/custody-visitation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Custody and Visitation Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"actionImageCard aem-GridColumn aem-GridColumn--default--12\">\n    <div class=\"fl-image-card\">\n                <div class=\"fl-image-card__content\">\n            <div class=\"action-card-layout\">\n                <h2 class=\"action-card-layout__heading\">\n                    Don&#8217;t Forget About Estate Planning\n                <\/h2>\n                <div class=\"action-card-layout__content fl-text-lg\">\n                    <p>Divorce is an ideal time to review your beneficiary designations on life insurance, bank accounts, and retirement accounts. You need to change your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\" title=\"DIY Forms\">estate planning forms<\/a>&nbsp;to reflect any new choices about your personal representative and beneficiaries. You can change your power of attorney if you named your ex-spouse as your agent. Also, change your health care directive to remove them from making your health care decisions.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\" class=\"action-card-layout__button fl-button fl-link-button secondary\">\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Start Planning<\/span>\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Findlaw tells you important information about how divorce affects your tax burden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":351716,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2730],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-351748","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-family"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351748"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":401118,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351748\/revisions\/401118"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351748"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=351748"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=351748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}