IRS Debt -- What I Found Out

It is just becoming apparent to me just how many ties and strings (on many levels) there are to unwind when married people go separate ways. This part is beginning to really fascinate me. First of all I am honestly over much of the anger I was feeling that drove me to the decision to divorce my husband. I had made this decision back in September 2007 and told him then too. So I have been unweaving the emotional ties for several months now. I can really take a step back an make observation about the process without the emotional upheaval. I find this prospective interesting. Anyway, we do not have much in assets together, but we do have debt with the IRS. And now I am working on cutting my connection with him on this too. I am happy to pay the IRS my half, but not his. The IRS (so I hear) doesn't see a married couple at two people even after a divorce; if one doesn't pay they go after the x-spouse until the debt is paid in full.

Well, I made a phone call today and told the IRS agent on the phone my situation which is that I had set up a payment plan a few moths ago to pay off our IRS debt. My soon to be x-husband has not paid for his portion of the payment in a timely matter two months in a row and the payment plan is now cancelled. I proceeded to tell her additional personal information and asked how can I get my half separated from his half. Now here is the the most interesting part ... the first IRS agent I spoke with told me there was nothing I could do about this .. she simply said that we were married for those tax years owed and we owe them together. I hung up, yes frustrated ... and you know what I did. I got back on the phone and called the IRS up again. A different IRS agent came on the line. Now I must add that callers get placed on hold until the next available agent comes on the line. I had waited nearly 20 minutes for the first agent and about 15 for the second agent. I proceeded to tell my same story to the second IRS agent and she said that I might qualify for Innocent Spouse Relief and Separation of Liability and Equitable Relief and to fill out form 8857!

Wow! I am so glad I listen to my urge to call back ... something just told me to call back. And yes, I found the form online, filld it out and mailed it in. I'll keep you posted.

Another Successful Yard Sale

I am so happy to be getting rid of so much. I am the type the does not like to accumulate items and I do go through closets on a regular basis, but when moving it really forces me to let stuff go -- I love. I had another yard sale today. This will be the last one because I need to move by the end of the month! Made another $300.00 today, I'd say that was a success! Yahoo!
And I have to add that a very cool thunder storm came through today -- made for a nice way to end the yard sale!

First Steps to Grasp the Changes Ahead

I am creating a new life. I am looking forward to it, yet it is change.

I am getting a divorce after 16 years of marriage. My husband moved out of our house about three weeks ago. We decided that he is going to take most of the furniture. I just don't want what we have accumulated over the years. He has moved out but most of his belongings are still here. My kids and I have to move out too. We rent and the house is going to be placed on the market. The kids and I have until the end of June to find a new place (and I may have some opportunities to be creative with that 'deadline'). Anyway, during this transition of dividing up the household, my main my goal now is to spend some time calculating how much money I will need to create each month to run my new household and set a budget in place.

I have my own checking account -- we have already closed all of our joint accounts a few months ago. The bank I bank at offers online banking and I love that feature, but I want to keep track of my money using a program. So another goal I am setting now is to set up my checkbook and track my spending on Quicken.

So that is where I will begin: #1 Set time aside to determine how much money my kids and I need each month to live #2 Set up my bank account information and budget plan on Quicken.