Your ex just announced they want to keep the marital home in the divorce. Your first instinct might be to say absolutely not. But before you dig in your heels and prepare for battle, consider whether letting them keep the house might actually be your best option.
The hidden costs of keeping the house
That house might feel like security, but it can quickly become an anchor. When you keep the marital home in Indiana, you could be signing up for:
- The full mortgage payment
- All maintenance, repairs and property taxes on your income alone
- Refinancing costs to remove your ex’s name from the mortgage
- Equity that’s locked up instead of working for you
If you keep the house, you’ll typically need to refinance it in your name only, which means qualifying based on your income and paying closing costs all over again.
And while some parents jump to the conclusion that keeping the home means stability for kids, a parent drowning in house payments they can’t afford isn’t providing stability.
What you get instead
When your ex keeps the house, you don’t walk away empty-handed. Under Indiana’s equitable distribution laws, you’re entitled to a fair division of marital assets. That typically means you receive other assets of roughly equal value, like retirement accounts, investment portfolios, cash or other assets.
Liquid assets like these can give you something the house doesn’t: flexibility. You can choose where to live based on your new life, not your old one. And you have cash for a down payment on a place that actually fits your budget.
When it could make sense to keep the house
Sometimes keeping the house is the right move. But it requires honest math, not emotional attachment. Consider keeping the house only if:
- You can truly afford the full payment on your income alone
- You qualify for refinancing based on your individual credit and income
- You can cover repairs and emergencies
- The mortgage is minimal or the house is nearly paid off
- It’s genuinely your forever home
Run the actual numbers. If you’re stretching to make it work, you could be setting yourself up for financial stress.
Fighting over the house in an Indiana divorce can be a stressful, expensive process. Sometimes the best revenge is letting your ex have the money pit while you get the liquid assets and a fresh start.