How to value your stuff?

North Carolina Divorce Law Divorce and Separation Answers
1

My ex moved out 8.5 months ago to an apartment. We’ve divided up everything except the contents of the workroom in our downstairs basement because he does not have room in the apartment for all the tools and yard equipment.

We’ve not yet signed our separation and property settlement, and the draft agreement currently states that we’ve divided up everything amicably. The original thinking was that these were “manly” items and that I don’t really have a use for them so he would come and get them when he had room to store them. However my mother made me realize that although I don’t need the actual items, there is a value associated with them and I am entitled to half of that value. Should I propose that we deduct some amount of value from the QDRO I owe him from my 401k, or from the alimony I am paying, or from the buy-out for the house? How does one go about valuing these items and determining the amount to deduct?

2

If you want to make an issue of the value of the tools and such, you may. The value for personal property is not retail value, but resale value, essentially what you would get for the items at a garage sale. My guess is that the value is negligible, and that you will spend more on attorney’s fees negotiating this issue.