I paid my exwife a lump sum amount towards all my alimony obligations. Our divorce decree specifies monthly alimony payments over three years with no mention of what the amount would be in case of a lump sum payment. The lump sum payment was made from my half of the proceeds obtained from selling our jointly owned home and has nothing to do with the property settlement. I did not write her a separate check for the lump sum alimony amount. We split the proceeds from the sale of the house into half and added the lump sump alimony amount to come up with the amount disbursed to her and I from the sale of the house. I have a written signed note from my exwife stating that the specified amount is the final payment towards all alimony obligations stated in our divorce decree. Can I deduct the lump sum alimony amount I paid her?