From the mind of a B.U.O.F.M............
Okay, we'll file this under "I'm feeling a little bitter". Not "better".....BITTER! So I am gonna rant a little.
Just did my taxes for 2006. Yes, kinda last minute, but I have an explanation......my ex got her W-2 the first week of February, and finally mailed it to me March 30. It arrived today.
As my divorce did not get finalized until 3/16/07, my options were to file married/separate, or married/joint. I asked my ex how she wanted to file. She said to do it up both ways, and she would decide based upon what was in her best interest. Understandable. Last year, after much debate, we agreed to split the Federal return based upon percentage of what was withheld from each of our incomes, and we would each get our individual State refund. I wanted to do that again this year.
So, I did the returns. Filing jointly, and splitting based upon percentage of withheld from each, she would end up getting about $500 less than if we filed married/separate. However, if I filed married/separate, I end up getting about $2,400 less than I would if we filed jointly and did the percentage split.
I sent her an email with the figures for both, and left it up to her.
She called, and said we should file jointly and split it 50/50. My youngest son was with her, and I heard him tell her that we should file jointly, and she should get what she would if we filed separately, and I should get the rest. Pretty smart for a 20-yr-old. Of course, that would only benefit me. She would have to give up about $500 if we did it that way. Needless to say, she again said 50/50.
So, my choice was to file jointly and split 50/50 (meaning she gets back roughly 50% of what was withheld from her pay and I get back roughly 16% of what was withheld from mine), or file separately (meaning she gets back roughly 36.5% of what was withheld from her pay and I get back roughly 5% of what was withheld from mine).
Believe it or not, I actually took a couple of hours to make my decision. Of course, logic overcame emotion, and I agreed to do the 50/50. Still, I can't help but feel that she won again.
At least she owes Kansas $137, and I get $498 from Colorado! WooWoo!
SCOREBOARD
She got: (bear in mind, she makes about $40k a year)
1. The house (including all the equity in it), and I get to continue paying the mortgage until March 2009, at which time she MUST refinance in her name only.
2. All the items in the house.
3. The truck (2000 F150 Lariet 4x4 Off-Road), and I get to continue to pay for it until it's payed off in August 2007.
4. $500-a-month "spousal non-modifiable rehabilitative maintenance" from September 2007 to March 2009.
5. 1/3 my 401k.
6. All of her 401k.
7. Her debt...about $6,000 in credit cards.
I got:
1. The car (2000 Mitsubishi Mirage...at least it's paid for LOL).
2. 2/3 my 401k.
3. My debt...about $5,000 in credit cards and $20,000 in school loans.
4. Most my clothes.
5. My sanity....or what's left of it.
6. My freedom.
I should have had HER lawyer LOL.
*HUGS*
Phil
