Most personal property has an emotional value attached to it, and normally, there is no problem with that. However, in a Florida divorce, a spouse who cares too much about an item may be taken advantage of during the property division phase.
Rather than randomly choosing to trade several items that have less emotional value, spouses may want to hire a professional appraiser who can place a dollar value on each item. Once all personal property has a number beside it, it may be easier for spouses to decide how much and what specific items they are willing to give up for the items they particularly want.
According to HuffPost, there are a number of ways that an appraiser may arrive at the value of an item. At the least, the method should conform to the standards provided by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
The Appraisal Foundation warns that people should do their research before hiring an appraiser. Personal property appraisers do not have to get a license like many other types of professionals, such as real estate agents, mental health counselors and attorneys. But, there are professional organizations that appraisers may join if they adhere to the ethical standards and meet the national qualification requirements.
If the couple realizes that they may have to take the divorce to court rather than come to a settlement on their own, they may each want to hire an appraiser. In this case, it may also be wise to choose professionals who are willing to provide expert witness testimony before the judge. Appraisers may offer different services, and may only have experience appraising specific types of items, so it is important to choose the professional who the judge will find credible and reliable.
