Keep Property Disputes Out of Court

Most people going through a divorce would rather deal with things outside of court, if at all possible. Even if you do not get along with your soon-to-be ex-partner, it is still possible to divide things up amicably and fairly without needing the assistance of a judge. Many couples try mediation first, which allows them to work things out on their own with a third party helping to guide the discussion.

There are a few different methods of Virginia marital property division  that you can try on your own before giving in and letting the court decide for you.

• Choose alternately. Take your list of property and simply go back and forth choosing one thing off the list. Don't put any kind of value on the property and merely choose based on what you want the most. Try not to argue if you feel like your spouse is taking things that are worth more than what you are taking.
• Sell property. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is sell most or some of your property. It's a lot easier to take a chunk of money and divide it in half than go back and forth over individual belongings.
• Have items appraised. You don't necessarily need to do this for everything, but it might be a good idea for bigger pieces of property. Hire an appraiser to take a look at certain belongings and place a value on them. Then go back to the idea of choosing alternately until you've reached the amount you're entitled to.

The important thing to remember when dividing property is to keep a level head. Emotions can run high very quickly and the key to a successful distribution is staying calm. Controlling your emotions while dividing property can pay off greatly in the long run: along with saving time, you can also save a lot of money by keeping your dispute out of court.