Divorce House Buyout Calculator
Enter the home value, mortgage balance and ownership split to estimate the buyout amount.
Estimate only — not legal advice. This is a simplified estimate for planning only, not legal or financial advice. How home equity is divided depends on your state's law (community property vs. equitable distribution), separate-property contributions, and your specific agreement. Consult a family-law attorney and, where needed, a professional appraiser.
A house buyout in divorce is when one spouse pays the other for their share of the home's equity. Equity is the home's value minus the mortgage balance. The buyout is that equity multiplied by the other spouse's ownership share — commonly 50%, though state law and separate contributions can change it.
⚠️ Double-check important results. This is an educational estimate, not professional advice — and where it uses a rate, bracket or fee, those change over time. Verify anything you'll rely on, especially in legal, financial, tax or medical matters, and read our full disclaimer. Think a result is wrong? Tell us so we can fix it.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter the home's current market value — a professional appraisal is the fairest basis in a divorce — and the remaining mortgage balance. Then enter the departing spouse's share of the equity. Many couples split equity 50/50, but the fair share can differ if one spouse brought separate money to the purchase or your state's rules require it.
The calculator returns the total equity and the buyout amount the spouse keeping the house would pay the other for their share.
How the Calculation Works
Equity is what the home is actually worth to the couple: its market value minus the debt still owed on it. That is the pool being divided.
The buyout is the other spouse's slice of that equity. At a 50% split, each spouse owns half the equity, so the spouse keeping the home pays the other half of the equity to make them whole. The spouse who keeps the house usually also refinances the mortgage into their own name.
buyout = (home value − mortgage balance) × other spouse's share
Worked Example
A home is worth $400,000 with a $250,000 mortgage, so the equity is $150,000. With a 50/50 split, each spouse's share is $75,000.
The spouse keeping the house buys out the other's $75,000 share — often by refinancing the mortgage and taking cash out, or by trading other marital assets of equal value instead of cash.
What the Result Means and Its Limits
The buyout figure is a starting point for negotiation, not a legal ruling. In practice, selling costs that would have applied in a sale, capital-gains considerations, and any separate-property contributions can all adjust the fair number.
Whether equity is split 50/50 also depends on your state: community-property states generally split marital equity equally, while equitable-distribution states divide it 'fairly,' which is not always evenly. Use this to frame the conversation, then get legal advice.
Assumptions and Limitations
- Uses current market value minus mortgage as equity — get an appraisal for accuracy
- Equity split depends on state law and separate-property contributions
- Ignores selling costs, capital-gains tax and other marital assets
- A planning estimate only — not legal or financial advice
When to Use a Divorce House Buyout Calculator
Divorcing spouses and family-law clients use this to estimate the buyout needed for one partner to keep the marital home. Enter the home's value and mortgage balance to see the equity and each spouse's share before mediation or settlement talks. It gives both sides a clear starting figure for a fair buyout — though the final number should always be confirmed with a lawyer and appraiser.
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Open calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
How is a house buyout calculated in a divorce?
Find the equity — home value minus the mortgage balance — then multiply by the other spouse's ownership share. For $150,000 of equity split 50/50, the buyout is $75,000.
How do I calculate home equity for a divorce?
Subtract the outstanding mortgage balance from the home's current market value, ideally established by a professional appraisal so both sides agree on the figure.
Is home equity always split 50/50?
Not always. Community-property states usually split marital equity equally, while equitable-distribution states divide it fairly, which can be uneven. Separate money one spouse contributed can also change the split.
How does the spouse keeping the house pay the buyout?
Commonly by refinancing the mortgage into their own name and taking cash out to pay the other spouse, or by giving up an equal value of other marital assets instead of cash.
Should I subtract selling costs from the buyout?
Sometimes. Because a buyout avoids a real sale, some agreements deduct the agent commission and closing costs that a sale would have incurred. This is a negotiation point — ask your attorney.
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