STBXW and I are in mediation and hopefully getting close to a resolution. I am a high-income earner; we have a substantial estate. She is an unfaithful SAHM who will nonetheless get close to half the assets, but whatever. Good riddance to her very soon. We have three children under 15 and will be splitting custody 50/50.

My question: is there any reason it would be better to have the divorce finalized in calendar year 2023 vs. 2024? Tax-wise, it's better to get divorced in early 2024. If we get divorced in 2023, then we have to file individually (because it goes by your status on Dec. 31), and I would be subject to the lower tax brackets for individuals, and thus pay more in taxes (like $30k more). It would also require allocating all the income that I earned to me, and any income from other assets goes to the spouse who took those assets. That sounds like a hassle.

But are there reasons I might want to finalize in 2023? I sort of thought it would be nice to wrap everything up by end of 2023, and start 2024 fresh. But that's pretty intangible. Any better reasons to want to get this finalized by year-end 2023? Anything I'm missing?

PS, I have an accountant, but he said because he represents both of us, he can’t advise on divorce stuff.