NY Equitable Distribution Estimator
List your marital assets and debts, set a division split, and get an instant estimate of how the marital estate might be divided between you and your spouse.
Estimates only — not legal advice. Equitable distribution is highly fact-specific and decided by the court.New York is an equitable distribution state — marital property is divided fairly, which often (but not always) lands near 50/50. This worksheet lets you map your marital estate, separate out non-marital property, and explore how different splits affect each spouse’s bottom line. How property division works in New York →
Marital Assets
Property acquired during the marriage — the marital home, bank and retirement accounts, vehicles, businesses, investments. Enter the value and who currently holds title.
Marital Debts
Liabilities incurred during the marriage — mortgage, credit cards, car loans, lines of credit. Enter the balance and whose name it is in.
Add separate (non-marital) property — optional
Separate property generally stays with the spouse who owns it and is not divided: assets owned before the marriage, inheritances, and personal gifts — as long as they were kept separate. List them here to see each spouse’s full bottom line.
Division Split
Most New York divorces divide the marital estate near 50/50, but courts can weigh factors like income, health, and each spouse’s contributions. Slide to explore other splits.
Methodology & Legal Notes
Equitable distribution: Under DRL § 236-B(5), New York courts divide marital property equitably — meaning fairly, not necessarily equally. Marital property is generally everything either spouse acquired from the date of marriage to the commencement of the divorce, regardless of whose name is on the title. Separate property (owned before marriage, inheritances, and gifts to one spouse) is generally not divided. This tool models a percentage split you choose; a court weighs the statutory factors in DRL § 236-B(5)(d) and the result can differ substantially.
How the estimate is built: Net marital estate = total marital assets − total marital debts. Each spouse’s target share = net estate × the split you set. “Currently held” is the net of assets and debts in each spouse’s name, with anything marked Joint split evenly as a baseline. The equalizing payment is the amount one spouse would transfer to the other so each reaches their target share. Separate property is then added back to each spouse’s own column.
Not included: This worksheet does not value businesses, pensions, or stock options (which require appraisal or a QDRO), does not apply tax consequences, separate-property appreciation, wasteful-dissipation or separate-property credits, and does not account for maintenance or child support. Use the support calculator for those.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Equitable distribution outcomes are highly fact-specific and ultimately decided by the court. Consult a matrimonial attorney before relying on these figures for any legal or financial decision.