One of the things that annoys is when I read "a woman will get half of his stuff in divorce" because marriage is a team effort. When you consider how much the wife probably worked for that asset, it becomes pretty entitled to say it is "his" stuff. Most marriage involve a division of labor, but also today two paychecks. I'd like to think that reds don't actually think they are entitled to things that their wife worked for and paid for with their own money. So, tell me how you think the assets should be split in the following situations. Assume all of them are divorcing for no fault reasoning, there was no abuse or cheating involved, neither one is pushing for divorce more than the other.

  • The wife owns a successful business that she made herself. The husband doesn't work, but rather stays home, cares for the house and kids, and makes a small amount of money from his hobbies. The house, rental properties, vacation home, and cars were all paid for in full by the wife. Who should get what in this case? How should custody of the kids work? Should alimony get awarded, and to who if so?

  • The husband makes 50 thousand a year at his job, and the wife makes 30 thousand. They completely mingle their finances, the money is deposited into the same account and they don't keep track of who brings home what bonus. Using this communal fund, they pay for all expenses, including the car and the house. The children are shuffled around between them and grandparents. How should the assets be split? Alimony? Custody?

  • Two wealthy people with good careers get married. They both make about 120 thousand a year. They'll keep some finances separate and will buy cars and such with their own money. However, most things like the boats, houses, the rental properties and so on were paid for by both of them, half and half. The children are largely cared for by a live in nanny. How should the assets get split? Custody? Should alimony be awarded?

  • The traditional household setup. Husband is the only one who works and provides for the family. The wife is really supportive, caring for the children, making good and healthful foods, and being generally supportive of the husband and his wants. They both agreed to this setup prior to marriage. Who should get custody of the kids? Should alimony be given? How should the assets be split?

One thing that bothers me is the implication that a homemaker's work is valueless. I'd imagine when I hear "she gets half of his stuff", it's this last situation that is in mind, where she didn't pay for any of it and still gets half of it. But it was understood that they would never bring home money, and that she would contribute in other ways. How can you say they are a team, she is your first officer, and that you work together when you think that she doesn't deserve any of the physical things you get with her help?