The division of divorce goes much further than just the split of the union of two people. In fact, the most stressful and time consuming part of divorce has more to do with finding a fair way to divide other valuables such as money, time and possessions. Some of the most heated arguments have to do with the division of possessions that married couples have acquired throughout their marriage.
In some cases, divorcing couples are able to work out who gets what on their own without having to involve lawyers or the court. However, the more valuable a possession is, the bigger the fight becomes. Here are a few ideas on what you can do to avoid fighting over possessions and help the process go smoother:
List Belongings
Start making a list of any and all possessions that will need to split up. In some cases, it helps to have a “his, hers, ours” list that shows which possessions will automatically go to one person or the other, and which belong to both. There may be some things that you assume will be going with you, but that your soon-to-be ex feels should be going with him or her. At any rate, having all possessions listed in one place can help get the process started while keeping communication clear.
Estimate Value
As you make this list of possessions, be sure to take the time to add an estimated value to each item. This sometimes requires getting an outside opinion from an expert, but is well worth the effort. For example, if you both own your home or any other property, you’ll want to have a fair value assessed to the property that both you and your spouse agree to. Assigned values can help in keeping things fair and balanced. This is especially true if the disagreement reaches the court.
Is There a Logical Owner?
Common sense can often help to deter any disagreements you might have about who gets what when dividing possessions in a divorce. If you are able to work together with your spouse, you may be able to quickly go through a list of possessions and find a home for most of them. For example, if your spouse is already planning to move into a new residence that is furnished, they may not need or want the furniture they share with you now.
In many divorces, it usually works out where it’s easy to determine where most possessions should end up. Any disagreements or arguments that come up tend to boil down to just few valuable possessions, such as homes, cars, jewelry, etc. If you are unable to reach an agreement on these items, there is a good chance that a judge will have to make the final decision.
Before you get to that point, be sure you have discussed the situation with an experienced divorce attorney, such as Brad Crider. Brad has the expertise to help you resolve these disagreements quickly and his knowledge on the matter can be invaluable in the courtroom.