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Just Divvy Balance Sheet

Learn Just Divvy in 10 minutes

You'll practice on a pretend case where you play everyone: Alex and Sam, their lawyers Andrew and Simon, and Michael the mediator. Nothing in practice is real or shared, and nobody is emailed.

Put this window beside Just Divvy so you can follow along. On a phone, switch between the two tabs.

Sign in to Just Divvy in the other window first; the steps tick themselves off as you go.

First, get everything down with what it's worth. Leave “Who gets it?” blank on each one: you'll decide that in the next tab.

  1. 1. Open practice Done

    In the Just Divvy window, click Practice at the top. A dark bar shows you're practicing and who you are; you start as Alex.

  2. 2. Add the real estate Done

    Click Add asset. Enter the name and value, choose the category, and leave “Who gets it?” blank.

    • House $450,000
    • Lake cabin $220,000

  3. 3. Add bank accounts and investments Done

    Add these the same way. Each goes in its own section of the sheet.

    • Joint checking $18,000
    • Sam's savings $25,000
    • Brokerage account $60,000

  4. 4. Add retirement accounts Done

    Add these the same way.

    • Alex's 401(k) $180,000
    • Sam's IRA $75,000

  5. 5. Add vehicles and other things Done

    Add these too. Furniture is usually counted as one lump.

    • Honda CR-V $21,000
    • Furniture $12,000

  6. 6. Add the debts Done

    Click Add debt. Tie the mortgage to the House and the loan to the car: they sit under them with a net line, and go with whoever gets them.

    • Mortgage $280,000 · tied to the House
    • Car loan $8,000 · tied to the Honda CR-V
    • Visa $4,500

Now you'll decide who gets what, the way two people really would: a little at a time, back and forth.

  1. 1. Decide two things as Alex Done

    You're Alex. Click the House on the sheet, then “Change my proposal”, and choose Alex. Do the same for the joint checking, and choose Split.

    • House · Alex keeps it
    • Joint checking · split 50/50

  2. 2. Notice “Waiting on Sam” Done

    Look at those two rows: they now say “Waiting on Sam”. You've made your offer; nothing is agreed until Sam answers.

  3. 3. Switch to Sam's view Done

    In the dark bar at the top, click Sam. You're now looking at the same sheet the way Sam would.

    In a real case you only ever see your own view. This is practice, so you can step into everyone's shoes to see how it feels from both sides.

  4. 4. Answer as Sam Done

    The two rows Alex just decided have an orange bar and “Your turn”: they're waiting for you. Click each one.

    • House: click Agree
    • Joint checking: click “Suggest something else”, choose Split, and give Sam 60%

  5. 5. Switch back to Alex's view and answer Done

    This is the back and forth. Sam agreed to the House and answered on the checking; now it's Alex's turn again.

    • Click Alex in the dark bar
    • Joint checking: agree to Sam's 60/40

  6. 6. Round two: the rest, as Alex Done

    Now decide everything else the same way. The debts tied to an asset go along with it, so they don't need deciding.

    • Lake cabin · split 50/50
    • Sam's savings · Sam keeps it
    • Brokerage account · Alex keeps it
    • Alex's 401(k) · split 50/50
    • Sam's IRA · Sam keeps it
    • Honda CR-V · Sam keeps it
    • Furniture · split 50/50
    • Visa · Alex pays it
    • Alex's 401(k): tick “Adjust the marital value” and enter a $30,000 separate part, Alex's, from before the marriage

  7. 7. As Sam, agree to the rest Done

    Switch to Sam's view again. Click the blue Review button at the top right: it shows each item waiting for Sam, one at a time. Agree to each.

  8. 8. Finalize, and see the result Done

    Everything is agreed. The box at the top right says who pays whom, for example “Sam pays Alex $…”: that one payment evens everything out. Open Summary and click Finalize as Alex, then switch to Sam and finalize too. The summary can be printed or saved as a PDF.

Try any of these, in any order.

  1. 1. Try the lawyers Done

    Switch to Simon's view (Sam's lawyer), or Andrew's (Alex's lawyer). A lawyer can propose and agree for their side; it shows as “Simon for Sam”.

  2. 2. Try the mediator Done

    Switch to Michael's view, the mediator. A mediator can't agree for anyone, but can suggest terms; Alex and Sam each accept a suggestion.

  3. 3. Use Review Done

    Click the blue Review button at the top right of the sheet to go through what waits on you, one item at a time.

  4. 4. Add a note Done

    Open an item and add a note. Everyone sees notes; the item's history below it can't be edited.

  5. 5. Reopen an agreed item Done

    Open an item you both agreed and click Reopen: either of you can, until the case is complete.

  6. 6. Leave practice Done

    Click “Leave practice” to go back to your real case. Your practice case stays for next time, and “Start over” clears it.

That's everything. Your real case works exactly the same way, with real people instead of pretend ones.