Dividing Your Household Goods during Your Divorce
Right after you recover from the decision to get a divorce (or the announcement from your spouse), you have to start thinking of the practical matters. At the top of your head might be questions like, Who gets the house? Where will the children live? Will I have to pay alimony?
While these are all important questions, they are not the only ones that you’ll have to consider. You’ll also have to get down to the nitty gritty like, Who gets the dishes? Will I get to keep that art work I love that we bought in Jamaica? Your possessions are considered assets, and they will get divided in your divorce also. In some cases, you may be able to work this out with your spouse yourself, but in some cases, you may need the help of a divorce attorney in Mesa to work through it all.
What Gets Divided
Typically, anything that is in your house will be considered marital property and will be subject to division, including all the furniture, kitchenware, yard tools, and more. The exceptions are your personal possessions, such as your clothing, gifts you received, and family heirlooms.
Therefore, the table saw that your wife gave you for Christmas will go with you, but the lawnmower you both bought for your house will be subject to division – even if she never used it and plans to move into a condo. Just like that engagement ring that your husband gave you is yours to keep, even if the marriage is ending.
Determining Value
Figuring out how much things are worth can be tricky, unless you hire an appraiser to go through everything. However, you can put a dollar amount on items by factoring in what you paid for it, how old the item is, and how much similar items typically depreciate.
Ideally, you and your spouse could agree on a general value for items and move forward from there. But if you can’t, you may need to call in an expert or provide documentation to make your case.
Make a Priority List
Before you get down to talking about who gets what, you need to decide what your goals will be. Are you more interested in keeping the high-end sound system than you are the bedroom set? Or have you decided that you don’t care at all about the china hutch, but you can’t imagine life without the French door refrigerator?
These are the things you need to decide before you start discussing dividing property. Make a priority list of what is most important for you to keep, and make a list of items you’d be willing to let go or you’d be willing to trade in negotiation.
Negotiate
Now that you know what you want and you know how much everything is worth, you’ll need to negotiate with your spouse. This may be easy if you have very different tastes or needs. But if you both have your eye on the same items, it is going to prove difficult. You’ll also have a hard time if either of you decides to claim items just to spite the other.
Working with a good divorce lawyer in Mesa is helpful since your attorney can keep you focused on what’s most important to you and give you tips on strategy to get what you want. It’s easy to let your emotions get in the way during these talks, and your attorney can provide an objective perspective to keep you on track.
Dividing your personal property can be one of the last things you discuss, which can make it one of the most emotionally-charged. You may be upset about the division of other assets or about the way those talks went, and you may be out for a little payback when it comes time to sort your possessions. Just keep these tips in mind to make the process as easy as possible while still getting what you want.
The divorce lawyers at My AZ Lawyers can help if you are recently separated or are thinking about a divorce. Our experienced attorneys can help you through every step of the divorce process, including dividing your assets, to ensure that you get the settlement that you want and that is fair to you. Our attorneys are committed to protecting your interests and to getting you the best settlement we can. We serve clients in Phoenix, Tucson, Glendale, and Mesa. Call our firm today to speak with a divorce attorney about your next steps.
Mesa Location:
1731 West Baseline Rd., Suite #100
Mesa, AZ 85202
Office: (480) 448-9800
Glendale Location:
20325 N 51st Avenue Suite #134, Building 5
Glendale, AZ 85308
Office: (602) 509-0955
Tucson Location:
2 East Congress St., Suite #900-6A
Tucson, AZ 85701
Office: (520) 441-1450
Avondale Location:
12725 W. Indian School Rd., Ste E, #101
Avondale, AZ 85392
