Build a property inventory you can explain.

Record what exists, what it may be worth and which records are missing. Keep those facts separate from proposed ownership.

Work through one category at a time

Start with the residence, then vehicles, cash and savings, debts, retirement and investment accounts, and personal property. The property worksheet prompts you through categories so you do not need to remember everything at once. Add custom items for jewelry, antiques, collectibles, inherited objects or interests that do not fit a standard example.

Use short descriptions that distinguish similar items: “blue commuter bicycle” is more useful than “bike.” For financial accounts, a nickname and the last few digits, if needed in your private records, usually distinguish items without putting a full account number into a shared draft.

Keep cost, value and debt separate

The price paid for something may not equal its value today. Record the valuation date and what supports the estimate: an account statement, appraisal, comparable sale or another identified source. An unknown value should remain unknown rather than silently becoming zero.

The residence’s simple value-minus-debt figure is $140,000. That arithmetic does not account for selling costs, taxes, other liens, ownership classification or reimbursements. It also does not say either party is entitled to $70,000.

“Listed by” identifies the person supplying the entry

If Party A lists an item, that means Party A entered it in the inventory. It does not establish title, decide that it is separate property or award it to Party A. Record competing values or disputed history in the notes instead of hiding the disagreement in a single total.

Do not count the same debt twice

If you attach a vehicle loan to the vehicle, identify it as the same loan when reviewing the debt list. Adding it again as an unrelated liability can understate the total. Check statement dates too: an older balance and a current payoff can differ without either document being wrong.

Retirement accounts need more than a balance

Distinguish an account with a reported balance from a pension promising future payments. Gather plan names, statements, available benefit estimates and any loan information. Do not invent a present value for future pension payments. A proposed division and the documents needed to carry it out may require specialist help.

Inventory is different from legal classification

State law determines how acquisition dates, gifts, inheritances, agreements and mixed funds affect division. California, for example, distinguishes community and separate property and warns that property can be mixed. Its rules should not be applied nationwide. Read California Courts’ property and debt overview as a state-specific example, then use advice and official materials for your jurisdiction.

Save a reviewable copy

The property worksheet keeps a temporary browser draft for one day. Clearing browser data, using another device or private browsing can prevent recovery. Print or save a PDF before relying on a draft for a meeting. Review the PDF for missing values and sensitive details before sharing it.

Updated September 17, 2026. Published by Guideline Calculator. Educational information; not legal advice or an official court worksheet. Report a correction.