During negotiations, one spouse may prefer more cash immediately and another may want to keep the family home. A business can also be divided in a number of ways or sold outright, but the value should be based on two outside appraisals of its worth, she advises.
A property settlement note can be used to offset disparities in the division of property, and one spouse can be paid off over time, if that is what is agreed to.
“In the end, a certified divorce financial analyst may be needed, in addition to a lawyer, to deal with the investments and other assets,” Pearson says.