D-I-V-O-R-C-E Doesn't Have to Spell High T-A-X-E-S

Thanks to stock-option compensation and bulging 401(k) plans, the bull market has made getting rich on paper a new reality for millions.

But here's a reality that's not so new: The divorce rate is holding steady at 50%, as it has for years.

These new financial windfalls are creating a slew of new concerns for couples going through a divorce. Emotional traumas aside, there are steps you can take to minimize the tax bite when the time comes to divvy up your assets.

To start, you need to determine which assets were acquired during the marriage and which are from your single days, says Carol Ann Wilson, president and founder of the Institute of Certified Divorce Planners in Denver. Marital assets must be shared. Any assets acquired before your marriage are yours to keep. ...