Divorce Buyout Calculator: Selling a House During Divorce in Florida

A divorce buyout calculator is a simple set of steps that shows what one spouse would pay to keep the house, and what each of you would walk away with if you sold instead. In Palm Beach County, the home is often the largest asset a couple owns, so the math matters. This guide walks through the formula, the refinance rules that decide most buyouts, the costs of a sale, and the timing questions that come up when two owners no longer agree.

Key takeaways

• Florida courts start from an equal split of marital assets and debts, unless there is a reason to divide them unequally (Florida Statutes, s. 61.075).
• A buyout usually means the spouse who keeps the home must refinance the loan in their own name and qualify alone.
• Fannie Mae lets a buyout of a co-owner be done as a limited cash-out refinance if the home was jointly owned for at least 12 months and both sides sign a written agreement.
• Selling costs real money. Florida's deed stamp tax alone is 70 cents per $100 of the price, before commission, title and closing costs.
• Run both numbers side by side before anyone signs a settlement.

How a divorce buyout calculator works

The core math has three steps. First, set the current market value of the home. Next, subtract every loan secured by it, such as the first mortgage and any home equity line. What is left is the equity. Then apply each spouse's share of that equity, which is often half but not always.

The buyout amount is the departing spouse's share. So if the house is worth $600,000 and the loans total $300,000, the equity is $300,000. With an even split, the spouse who keeps the house owes the other one $150,000. These numbers are an example only, but the steps are the same for any home.

That is the starting point, though. Real settlements add credits and adjustments, and most of them change the final figure.

Inputs a divorce buyout calculator needs

• A current value, ideally from a market analysis or an appraisal that both sides accept.
• The payoff amount on each loan, from a payoff letter rather than a monthly statement.
• Each spouse's share, as set by your agreement or the court.
• Any credits, such as separate money one spouse put into the down payment.
• The cost to refinance, since the spouse keeping the home pays it.

Adjustments that change your divorce buyout calculator result

Many buyouts start from a 50/50 split and then move. For example, one spouse may claim that part of the down payment came from money they owned before the marriage. Florida law treats assets acquired before the marriage as nonmarital, but any rise in their value caused by either spouse's efforts during the marriage can count as marital. Tracing that money is a job for your attorney.

Other common adjustments include mortgage payments one spouse made alone after the filing date, and repairs paid from separate funds. Some couples also trade the house against other assets, such as a retirement account. In that case, the buyout may involve little or no cash at all.

Florida's equitable distribution basics

Florida divides marital property under section 61.075 of the Florida Statutes. The court begins with the premise that the split should be equal. It can depart from that when the statute's factors justify it, such as each spouse's contributions and the length of the marriage.

The statute also sets a cut-off date for deciding what counts as marital. It is the earlier of the date you sign a valid separation agreement or the date someone files the petition for divorce. Meanwhile, the date used to value the assets is whatever the judge finds just under the circumstances. That gap matters in a moving market, because the house may be worth more or less by the time you settle.

The law also lets a court give one spouse the right to stay in the home with dependent children. That only happens when it is fair, in the child's best interest and financially feasible. So the home is not always sold right away, even when the couple cannot agree.

The refinance hurdle in a divorce buyout

Here is where many buyouts stall. Your lender does not care about your settlement. If both names are on the note, both of you stay liable until the loan is paid off or refinanced. As a result, the spouse who keeps the home usually needs a new loan in their name alone.

That new loan has to pay off the old mortgage and fund the buyout payment. Therefore the spouse keeping the house must qualify on one income. They need enough credit, a workable debt-to-income ratio and enough equity left in the home after the new loan.

What Fannie Mae allows

The Fannie Mae Selling Guide lets a buyout of a co-owner's interest be done as a limited cash-out refinance. It names a divorce settlement as one of the cases. However, the home must have been jointly owned for at least 12 months before the new loan funds. All parties must also sign a written agreement that sets out the transfer and how the loan proceeds will be paid out.

The spouse who stays cannot take extra cash from the deal, beyond the small cash-back limit. That limit is the greater of 1% of the new loan or $2,000. Still, this treatment can matter, because limited cash-out loans often price better than a true cash-out refinance. Ask your lender which program fits before you agree on a closing date.

Assumption is the exception

Some couples hope the spouse who stays can simply take over the old loan, especially if it carries a low rate. A few loan types allow that with lender approval, but many do not. Call the servicer early and ask, in writing, whether a release of liability is possible. If it is not, plan on a refinance.

Selling instead: what a divorce buyout calculator should compare

A fair comparison runs the sale numbers next to the buyout numbers. A sale turns the house into cash, pays off the loans and splits what is left. It also ends both spouses' liability on the mortgage, which a buyout without a refinance does not do.

But selling has costs. Florida charges documentary stamp tax on the deed at 70 cents per $100 of the price, according to the Florida Department of Revenue. On a $600,000 sale, that is $4,200. Add the commission, title insurance, any repairs or credits, and your prorated taxes. A seller closing cost estimate from your agent puts these into one number.

Next, compare the sale net with the buyout. If the spouse keeping the house would pay a share based on full market value, they are paying for equity that a sale would partly spend on closing costs. Some couples split that difference. Others agree on a value reduced for the costs a sale would have carried.

The local market shapes the choice

Timing a sale is easier when the market favors sellers. In August 2026, Palm Beach County single-family homes had a median price of $650,000 and sold in a median of 40 days to contract, with 3.5 months of supply, according to Miami Realtors. Condos and townhouses moved slower, with a median of 69 days and 6.7 months of supply.

So a single-family home in a busy area like Boca Raton or Wellington may sell faster than a condo. If you own a condo, plan for a longer listing period and keep that in mind when you set deadlines in the settlement.

Taxes when you buy out or sell during divorce

Under federal law, a transfer of property between spouses, or to a former spouse when the transfer is tied to the divorce, generally does not trigger gain at that time. The receiving spouse takes over the original tax basis, though. So the gain is deferred, and it shows up when that spouse sells later.

The home sale exclusion helps here. IRS Publication 523 lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly, if you meet the 2 of 5 year ownership and use tests. If your spouse transferred the home to you, you can count the time they owned it. And if a divorce or separation instrument lets your former spouse live there as a main home, you can treat that time as your use. A tax pro should check your numbers, and our guide to capital gains when you sell in Florida covers the basics.

Who controls the listing when spouses disagree?

When both names are on the deed, both owners normally have to sign the listing agreement and the sale contract. One spouse cannot sell the whole house alone. If you cannot agree, the court can decide the issue as part of the divorce. Outside of a divorce, Florida co-owners can also ask a court to partition property under Chapter 64 of the Florida Statutes, which can end in a court-ordered sale.

Most couples avoid that path by writing the sale terms into the settlement. Good terms cover the list price, who picks the agent, how price cuts happen, who pays the mortgage until closing and who can stay in the home.

Why a neutral agent helps

A listing agent in a divorce works for both owners, not one. That means sharing every offer and update with both sides at the same time, in writing. It also means pricing from data, so neither spouse feels the number favors the other. Ask any agent you interview how they handle two sellers who do not talk to each other.

Step by step: a divorce buyout calculator for your home

1. Get a current value from a market analysis or appraisal, and agree on it in writing.
2. Request payoff letters for every loan on the house.
3. Subtract the payoffs to find the equity, then apply each spouse's share and any credits.
4. Have the spouse who wants to stay talk to a lender and get a written pre-approval for the new loan.
5. Estimate a sale net with closing costs, so you can compare it with the buyout.
6. Review both options with your attorney and a tax pro before you sign the settlement.

If the refinance does not work, the decision often makes itself. In that case, a clean sale may be the fastest way for both of you to move on.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate a house buyout in a divorce?

Take the agreed market value, subtract all loan payoffs, and you have the equity. Then multiply the equity by the departing spouse's share. Adjust for credits such as separate money or payments made after filing.

Does a divorce buyout calculator include closing costs?

A good one should. The spouse keeping the home pays refinance costs, while a sale carries commission, deed stamps and title costs. Run both so you compare like with like.

Can I keep the house if I cannot refinance alone?

Sometimes, if the lender approves an assumption or the court sets a plan with a deadline. Otherwise, both spouses stay on the loan, which leaves the departing spouse exposed. Many settlements set a refinance deadline and require a sale if it is missed.

Is a buyout taxable in Florida?

A transfer between spouses that is tied to the divorce generally does not trigger federal gain at the time. However, the spouse who keeps the home takes the original basis, so gain can show up at a later sale. Florida has no state income tax on individuals.

Should we sell before or after the divorce is final?

It depends on your settlement, your tax filing status and the market. Selling while married and filing jointly may allow the larger exclusion. Talk to your attorney and a tax pro before you list.

Sources

• Florida Statutes, s. 61.075 equitable distribution
• Florida Statutes, Chapter 64 partition of property
• Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B2-1.3-02 limited cash-out refinance
• IRS, Publication 523: Selling Your Home
• 26 U.S. Code s. 1041, transfers between spouses
• Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax
• Miami Realtors, Palm Beach County August 2026 market report

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Divorce and tax rules depend on your facts, so consult a Florida family law attorney and a tax professional about your situation.

Need real numbers for your settlement? Request a personalized seller net-proceeds sheet from Pure Equity. We will show what a sale would net so you and your attorney can compare it with a buyout, and we keep both owners informed at every step. Start with a free home valuation. If you are buying your next place after the divorce, our agents can help with that search too. Talk with our team.