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The Marital Residence: A Complex Financial Asset

By Carl M. Palatnik
September 01, 2003

In the article “Thinking About Settlements: Should Retirement Plans Be Discounted for Taxes?” published in the June issue of New York Family Law Monthly, I explained that retirement plans are complex assets, comprised of both tax-deferred (asset) and taxable (liability) components. Because of this complexity, I explained that the true value of these assets is context-dependent and closely tied to the financial situation of the ultimate owner. Attempting to divide these assets equitably in the one-dimensional environment of the yellow legal pad is not without peril.

Tax-Free and Tax-Deferred Compounding

The marital home, often the second financial centerpiece of a marriage, is also a complex asset that must be divided in the context of the overall division of other assets and income. Under current law, assuming certain conditions are met, an individual can exclude from taxation up to $250,000 in profit on the sale of the marital home ($500,000 if remarried). In addition, any profit (capital gains) over and above this amount, if subject to taxation at all, is usually taxed by the Federal government at the low rate of 15%.

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