Divorce Finance Topics
Plain-English guides to the money side of divorce.
How Retirement Accounts Are Divided in a Divorce
Retirement savings are frequently the largest asset in a divorce. The portion earned during the marriage is generally divisible; the exact share and method depend on your state's property rules.
What Is a QDRO? Qualified Domestic Relations Orders Explained
A Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is a separate court order that tells a retirement-plan administrator how to divide an account between divorcing spouses.
Community Property vs. Equitable Distribution: What's the Difference?
Every U.S. state divides marital property under one of two systems. Which one applies to you is determined by where your divorce is filed.
Marital vs. Separate Property in a Divorce
Before anything is divided, property is sorted into marital and separate categories. Only marital property is generally subject to division.
How Debt Is Divided in a Divorce
Debts are split using the same marital-versus-separate framework as assets. Who actually pays a lender, though, is a separate question.
Who Gets the House in a Divorce?
There's rarely a single right answer for the marital home. Couples usually choose among a few standard options based on finances and circumstances.
Looking for rules in a specific state? See divorce property division by state.