December Means Divorce for New Yorkers Seeking Income Tax Savings

There are many people who make New Year's resolutions to work on their marriage. Perhaps they will strive for better communication, liven up the romance, or give their partner more attention and patience. Then there are those who can't even wait for the ball to drop before dropping their spouse. Why start the year off miserable when you can hit up Tinder and eHarmony with some fresh faces for winter?

That's exactly what some New Yorkers are doing.Rushing to divorcebefore New Year's Day. While January is typically the month which sees the highest divorce numbers nationwide (due to lousy Christmas presents, perhaps), New Yorkers are always on the move, and hope to finalize their splits in December, all to pocket the income tax savings they'll reap… making up for those aforementioned lumps of coal.

As per divorce lawyer Susan Moss of the firm Chemtob Moss Forman & Talbert, as reported in The New York Post, "If you're divorced as of 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31st, you can file as single for the entire year." This could relieve already contentious couples from a large portion of the money matters which are often a major factor as to why couples call it quits in the first place.

The New York Post also notes, as per accountant David Barral, "Higher-income married couples get hit with what's called the 'marriage penalty' because they're in a higher tax bracket due to combined income." A couple planning to split anyhow would save tens of thousands of dollars by going their separate ways before the clock strikes 12 in the wee hours of New Year's morning.

There is hope, as per Time, "The U.S. divorce rate dropped for the third year in a row, reaching its lowest point in nearly 40 years." So even if New Yorkers are divorcing to save from tax headaches, at least we can say more marriages are lasting. For another year at least.

Are you in New York State and have decided your "for better or for worse" is worse than worse and need some info about planning for a divorce in NYS? Check out Her Justice for the basics of getting a divorce, from filing, to costs, to legal necessities, and more.

For the rest of you, give your wife or hubby a kiss and remember why you decided to get married in the first place.

PayPath
Follow Us on

Artificial Intelligence

Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash

Looking for a job? In addition to encountering those annoying never-ending job interviews you may find yourself face-to-face with an artificial intelligence bot.

Companies worldwide increasingly use artificial intelligence tools and analytics in employment decision-making – from parsing through resumes and screening candidates to automated assessments and digital interviews. But recent studies claim that AI does more harm than good.

Keep readingShow less

Jobs don't have to be miserable!

Photo by Helena Lopes (Unsplash)

Though the wave of tech layoffs and the threat of a recession has overshadowed yesteryear's news of the great recession, everywhere you look, employees are asking for more — and getting it. Although this time of uncertainty could have given employers back the power, it's still in the hands of the workforce.

From Gen-Z's boundary setting and penchant for quiet quitting when they're being under-recognized, to labor unions and even the WGA writer's strike, we're in an era where workers can make demands about how they work — and where they work. And for many people, they want to work from home.

Keep readingShow less

Southwest Companion Pass

There’s all this talk about solo travel. And for good reason — no wasting precious time waiting for others to get their act together, take the plans out of the group chat and actually buy the tickets. Going solo, you can be spontaneous. You can plan your trips according to your precise tastes. You can hop on any flight and fly awayyyyyy.

Keep readingShow less