Other Common Issues

The following issues should be considered in negotiating a divorce agreement:

• What about college or other higher education expenses for children?
• What about life insurance plans to ensure the payment of child support and/or spousal maintenance in the event of the paying spouse's death?
• Who will provide health insurance coverage for the children and what will the uncovered spouse do about health insurance after the divorce?
• After the divorce, what happens when the spouse who was responsible for a joint credit card bill does not pay it, and the credit card company tries to collect from the other spouse?
• What happens to the jointly held mortgage on the marital home if one spouse buys out the other's interest and becomes the new title holder?
• What are the relevant tax issues, including the following:
  1. Tax aspects of the transfer of property from one spouse to another.
  2. Tax ramifications for each spouse when spousal maintenance is paid.
  3. The most beneficial way to file income taxes.
  4. Who takes the child tax dependent deduction?
  5. Who has the responsibility for tax audits resulting in payment of back taxes or penalties for the years when the parties filed joint returns?
  6. Tax ramifications of dividing a retirement plan.
  7. What are the tax consequences of selling a house after a divorce?