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As you can see from this calculator, there may be tax advantages in categorizing a payment as "alimony" instead of "property settlement" or "child support."

Often, parties have a lot of freedom to characterize payments as any of the three that they like, for tax purposes.

However, there are many issues beside tax issues in making this characterization. For example, child support is usually expected to continue until the child reaches age 18. If there are two or more children, child support might drop off when the first child reaches age 18.

Alimony may continue for a specified number of years, either more or less than child support.

Also, for tax purposes, payments labeled as alimony, child support, and property settlement, must meet certain criteria.

Click here for the tax requirements for a payment to be considered as "alimony."

Click here for the tax requirements for a payment to be considered as child support.

Click here for the requirements and benefits of labeling a payment as a property settlement.

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