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The EqualShares Method

You're moving into a smaller home and want to give some heirlooms to your kids.  Or getting a divorce.  Or leaving instructions in your will for the distribution of your personal effects.     

And you've got a problem.

How do you decide who gets what?  How do you fairly divide things like family photographs or a cherished porcelain collection?    

EqualShares.com can help.  We explain how to come up with a fair distribution, using a method that's based on mathematics and economics.  Here's how it works in its simplest form:  You make a list of the property that's to be distributed.  Each potential recipient submits a sealed list of bids for the items on the list.  The winning bidder for each item gets it, and is "charged" the second highest bid.  Any recipient who get more than his or her fair share of the property compensates the other recipients with cash.

This method has several advantages:

It also has some disadvantages:

We'll tell you later how to eliminate or reduce these disadvantages.

The EqualShares method isn't for everyone.  Many families find that they can distribute property fairly among themselves without outside help, and that doing so gives them an opportunity to demonstrate their love, compassion, and generosity.  But if you fear that distributing property might cause friction and resentment, this may be the best answer.  

Click here for a list of step-by-step instructions.  Before going through them, we recommend that you read the Frequently Asked Questions page.    Good luck!  

Disclaimer

EqualShares.com is a non-profit, public service website.  The EqualShares method has not yet been widely tested, so users must try it at their own risk.  

Go to the step-by-step instructions

 

Copyright © 2004  Lori Alden.  All rights reserved.