Life insurance is one of those subjects few people want to think about most of the time. Fewer still take the trouble to review coverage and implement changes (and some still need prodding from the agent or financial planner). In the divorce process, life insurance on the ex-spouse who is responsible for alimony and or child support is an often overlooked area in the divorce settlement.

One of the more traumatic events in life is when a couple chooses to end their marriage and begin the divorce process. Adding to the trauma are the financial issues of separating assets and agreeing upon various forms of support for the spouse and the children. In most cases, todays divorce proceedings are based upon no-fault, where the process focuses on dividing assets and not the marriage problems.

If there is no indication in a divorce final judgment or decision pending final judgment or property settlement agreement as to who is entitled to claim the children as Dependency Exemptions then automatically the parent with physical placement / physical custody of the minor children is entitled to claim the child or children for Federal Tax purposes.