The Most Hard-to-Divide Assets in Divorce

 Posted on September 28, 2023 in High-Asset Divorce

When a couple gets divorced, their assets must be equitably divided between both spouses. Some types of assets are easier to divide than others. Simpler assets that are easily valued, such as the cash in a married couple’s joint bank account, can usually be divided with minimal complication. However, other types of assets can be more challenging to split, often due to difficulty in valuation and the potential for each spouse to receive different valuations. 

If your divorce involves multiple complex assets, it is particularly important to be well-represented. Dividing complex assets often takes the legal skill of an experienced attorney and sometimes the help of other professionals, like forensic accountants or valuators. Mediation can be a valuable tool for achieving compromise, but contesting the divorce may become necessary to preserve equitability. 

3 Assets That Can be Difficult to Divide Fairly 

While some types of assets can be quickly split down the middle or in another fair distribution, others may require more finesse. The most challenging-to-divide assets in a divorce include: 

• The marital home - If you own your home, you have an asset you cannot divide down the middle easily. One potential solution is for one of you to keep the home and the other to accept alternative property roughly equaling their fair share of the home. Another is to sell the home and divide the profits. 

• A family business - Dividing a company is rarely beneficial to anyone involved. More likely, one of you will need to effectively buy out the other’s shares unless you will be able to continue working together. A business valuation is likely needed.

• Stock portfolio - The challenge in dividing stock investments is in determining the value. Even if a share of stock in company A and a share of stock in Company B both equal the same, that is likely to change quickly based on normal fluctuations. Help from a professional may be needed in order to equitably divide a stock portfolio. 

These types of assets tend to require the most overall care to properly value and divide in a way that is truly equitable. An attorney can help keep the process running smoothly while advocating for your interests at every stage. 

Contact a Rolling Meadows, Illinois Divorce Lawyer

Law Offices of Donald J. Cosley is committed to providing the highest quality legal representation to those going through a divorce. Our skilled Arlington Heights, IL, divorce attorneys will do all we can to ensure that you get a fair result in your divorce. Contact us at 847-253-3100 to receive a complimentary consultation.