Submitting Tax Returns - New Spouse

[R2D2]

Hi All,

I've read these boards for years, but have never posted. A quick THANK YOU to all the amazing advice and information through the years. My story is long, but my short question is: I need to respond to interrogatories requesting tax records. My new spouse's income cannot be considered in the state. I think I read that we can white out her information - is that correct? I assume that would include anything that is joint?

Thanks much!

[MixedBag]

BLACK it out -- make a copy of that -- so you can't see $hit when you hold it up to the light, and attach YOUR W-2's/1099's.

If spousal income is relevant, make them ask for it specifically.  (For me, in NV, my income became relevant....UGH!  Community Property State).

[ocean]

Yup! White out totals so they can not figure out how much step-parent makes either. We did that, and no questions...just said, the bio parents are legally responsible and not step-parents. Very few states allow step-parents any rights or take into consideration their income.

[R2D2]

Thank you to both of you for the quick replies. One follow up question - the interrogatory states "all returns" for tax years 2012 and 2013. Is that just our 1040 forms for the years specified, or ALL schedules, etc. too? (Which gets really complicated since everything is joint. Seems I would be blacking out most of the information.)

[ocean]

Nah , just bring the 2 first sheets with the whited out info and your w2's only and say that is all I brought. Most times they do not even collect it or just take it and do nothing with it! What is this for?

[MixedBag]

I agree -- only 1040 and W-2's.....let them ask for the rest specifically.

heck, when I printed out my tax return on turbo tax, I think I had 89 pages....(because it gave me EVERYTHING to include all those worksheets and stuff...)  When the 1040, and about 2 schedules are the meat of it.

[R2D2]

Excellent, thank you.

Ocean - the short story is that the mother moved out of state against objections. I filed for primary placement. 3 months later mother moves back to the state. I live in a different state and I have come to a painful realization that the state the case is in (WI) is not going to let the money leave the state. Lots of frustration, and I'm sure I'll have more questions (I probably should have started asking them sooner.) My goal now is to get a more reasonable placement schedule than the mother and GAL have proposed.

The interrogatories are (I assume) to start prepping for the financials of the case.

[ocean]

Yeah, here it is the standard to ask for the tax forms at almost every hearing even if I was not asking for an increase/decrease.

What are they offering for parenting time? How far in between the two houses now? If mom is back in original state then child support and court stays there. Child support rarely moves states as there are better laws and custodial parents "may" child support shop and move to a state that has say ..child support to age 21-23 rather than 18. Only time it moves is when both parents move out of original state and then usually always moves to the children's state.

[MixedBag]

Ahhhhh.....IMHO, let me add something since Ocean, you mentioned "age of emancipation"....

My original decree defined age of emancipation.

Alabama is where I moved (active duty military), and they have an older age definition and age of majority support (well, that might not be true today,but in the day it was true).  DHR said that the time of emancipation and definition does not change -- it's defined in the order and can't be extended now that I'm in Alabama.  But CS could/would be relcalcuated.

My experience....and all 6 kids are now emancipated.

[R2D2]

Hi Ocean/Mixed Bag,

Sorry for the delay in responding.

Ocean - you say that child support rarely moves states. Both of us have moved states from the original agreement (actually, it's a Canadian agreement.) The current case is in WI. Should I expect that CS will be recalculated based on WI now that primary residence is there?

As far as placement, I have had most holidays and a large portion of the summer. I am working to get more time than I had, even if it means I travel the 6 hours to be with my daughter and take her to school for a week at a time.