Distributing Personal Property in Your Divorce

Property division is a major aspect of any divorce case. South Carolina requires that marital property be divided in an equitable manner, which means the division must be fair under the circumstances. While much attention is given to property such as the family home and vehicles, dividing your personal belongings can also be a difficult task.

Marital Property

Marital property is the property you and/or your spouse acquired during the marriage. It does not matter whether you purchased an item for yourself – if it was purchased with marital funds, it will be considered marital property. While you each might agree to keep your own clothing and accessories, dividing other items – especially valuable ones – can be challenging.

Some items that might need to be distributed include:

• Recreational equipment
• Kitchen tools and small appliances
• Electronics, including laptops, gaming systems, and televisions
• Power tools
• Art collections
• Jewelry collections

If a husband built a “man cave” in your home with a costly television, multiple gaming systems, a pool table, and other amenities, he might assume he will get to keep those items. However, they all might be worth thousands of dollars, and a spouse might want to divide these items of value. The same goes for someone who has a personal collection of diamond jewelry or designer handbags that might be worth significant money.

Some spouses agree that “this is mine, and that is yours,” while others decide to sell expensive property and divide the proceeds.

Consult with a Divorce Lawyer in Beaufort, South Carolina