Dividing Unusual Assets in an Illinois Divorce

 Posted on July 22, 2025 in Divorce

An Indiana couple split a collection of beehives during their divorce, while in 1999, a Nevada couple was locked in a contentious battle over a Beanie Baby collection. A Massachusetts couple fought over a "pet" catfish, named Pinky, and another couple included a clause in their divorce that obligated the husband to share half of any future Nobel Prize winnings with his ex-wife.

A Cambodian couple actually sawed their home in half when ending their 18-year marriage. Celebrities have even stranger stories of unusual marital asset divisions. Dennis Hopper’s estranged wife demanded items such as asparagus tongs and rosebushes during the divorce, while actor David Hasselhoff negotiated the exclusive use of his nickname "Hoff," along with the associated catchphrase "Don’t Hassle the Hoff."

As you might imagine, the emotional aspect of a divorce can lead couples to prioritize seemingly trivial items, even over more valuable assets. Couples may also include unusual clauses in their divorce settlements for no other reason than spite. For the "average" couple, the division of unusual assets usually includes frequent flyer miles, cryptocurrency, pets, season tickets, collectibles, intellectual property, hardcopy photos, and digital music collections.

If you and your spouse are starting the divorce process and you believe there will be some assets that will end in bitter disputes, it is a good idea to let your Wheaton, IL divorce attorney know what to expect. Your attorney may recommend using expert appraisers, forensic accountants, and market analysis to split unusual items equitably.

How Are Some of the Most Common Unusual Assets Divided in a Divorce?

Unusual assets seem to be more common in today’s divorces. While challenging, some of the most common unusual assets that must be divided during a divorce include:

Pets

Pets are often a big source of contention during a divorce. Prior to 2018, in Illinois, pets were considered property and treated accordingly. Now, Illinois law states that ownership of any non-service animals will be divided based on the best interests of the animal, similar to how minor child issues are determined.

Intellectual Property

If one or both spouses have trademarks, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, or other types of intellectual property, there can be significant value involved, particularly when royalty payments are involved. If the intellectual property is subject to marital asset division, it could be awarded to one spouse with compensation to the other, or future income from royalties could be shared.

Rewards Points, Season Tickets, or Frequent Flyer Miles

While rewards points and frequent flyer miles are technically not tangible assets, they can be used to purchase tangible assets. One spouse can either fight to keep the points or miles or use them as leverage to obtain something else he or she wants after they have been properly valued.

Collections

Coin Collections, comic book collections, stamp collections, books, art, or antiques may have significant value. If the items were acquired during the marriage, they will be valued and subject to division between the spouses. If a collection belonged to a spouse prior to the marriage, then it will likely remain the property of that spouse unless it has significantly increased in value during the marriage due to the acquisition of additional items. In this case, the marital portion would have to be valued and be subject to allocation between the spouses.

Cryptocurrency

If one spouse purchased cryptocurrency without the other’s knowledge, it can be difficult to locate if that spouse fraudulently fails to disclose its existence. A forensic accountant may be brought in if there are suspicions that one spouse is hiding assets, such as cryptocurrency.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Divorce Lawyer

If your divorce is shaping up to be difficult – or even if you simply want to ensure that your rights and your future are protected throughout your divorce – your best first step is to contact a Wheaton, IL divorce attorney from Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC. MKFM Law serves family law clients at their offices in Kane County, DuPage County, and DeKalb County. To schedule your initial attorney meeting, call 630-665-7300.