If your spouse bought stocks and bonds in the open market, there's no problem with valuing them. But if there are business or real-estate investments, you need to get a valuation done. You also need a CPA to look at the tax returns to see if there are other assets, such as cash, that the marital-assets schedule doesn't show. I've worked with attorneys for over twenty years discovering items that should be brought to light, so that my clients can have a better settlement.

Linda Forman, CPA, P.C. is a Certifed Public Accountant who has practiced financial and tax guidance, retirement planning and ERISA issues, litigation support, and other areas of accounting in the Chicago area for over 30 years. She can be reached at (847) 316-1040. View her Divorce Magazine profile.