The acquired/personal distinction, equalization, additions and half of the residual value, in the order of Turkish Civil Code (TMK) Arts. 219-236, laid out the way a court expert would present it.

This tool applies the liquidation sequence of the Turkish Civil Code (TMK) Arts. 219-236 to the values you declare. Definitive values are established from title deed and bank records and by a court expert's examination; the reduction for adultery or an attempt on the other spouse's life (Art. 236/2) is at the judge's discretion and is not calculated.

The calculator itself is available on the Turkish page: Boşanmada Mal Paylaşımı Hesaplama (in Turkish). Two points from its instructions matter for anyone reading this: the matrimonial property regime ends on the date the divorce petition is filed (TMK Art. 225/2), so assets acquired and installments paid after that date do not enter liquidation; and each asset is valued at its current market value according to its condition on the filing date (TMK Art. 235).

How is the participation claim calculated, step by step?

Property division does not mean splitting the assets down the middle. The law divides each spouse's property into acquired and personal property, counts only the acquired property, and gives each spouse a claim equal to half of the other's residual value. The order is as follows:

Classification. Is each asset acquired or personal? Assets bought for consideration during the marriage are acquired property (Art. 219); assets owned before the marriage and those received by inheritance or gift are personal property (Art. 220). If you are not sure, the law presumes the asset is acquired (Art. 222/3).
Equalization (Art. 230). Money that passed from one category to the other is separated back out. A house whose down payment was paid with inherited money belongs here.
Additions (Art. 229). Assets given away without consideration in the last year, and transfers made with the intent of reducing the claim, are added back.
Deduction of debts. Debts relating to acquired property are deducted; a debt whose category is unknown is charged to acquired property (Art. 230/2).
Residual value (Art. 231). The amount that remains. If it is negative, it is treated as zero; no debt is recorded against the other spouse.
Half share and set-off (Art. 236). Each spouse receives half of the other's residual value; the two claims are set off against each other and reduced to a single net figure.

Worked example 1: a mortgaged house with a down payment from inheritance

The house is registered in your name and was bought during the marriage for TRY 500,000; TRY 125,000 of the down payment came from money you inherited. Its value today is TRY 4,000,000. Your spouse contributed TRY 50,000 from joint savings.

Personal-source ratio: 125,000 ÷ 500,000 = 25%. This ratio is applied to today's value: TRY 1,000,000 returns to the personal category (Art. 230/3), and TRY 3,000,000 remains acquired property.
Your spouse's contribution ratio: 50,000 ÷ 500,000 = 10%, so the value-increase share is 4,000,000 × 0.10 = TRY 400,000 (Art. 227/1).
Your residual value: 3,000,000 − 400,000 = TRY 2,600,000; your spouse's is TRY 400,000.
Participation claims: yours TRY 200,000, your spouse's TRY 1,300,000. These are set off together with the value-increase share.

Result: a net TRY 1,500,000 in your spouse's favor.

Note that this is not half of the TRY 4,000,000 house (TRY 2,000,000). The inherited down payment, taken as a ratio of the purchase price, pulled the result down by TRY 500,000.

Worked example 2: where the money came from changes the result

The house is registered in your spouse's name and is acquired property; its value today is TRY 2,000,000. You contributed TRY 250,000 when the asset was worth TRY 1,000,000, so the ratio is 25% and the value-increase share is TRY 500,000. Up to this point both scenarios are identical. The difference lies in where your money came from:

Source of the contribution	Nature of the claim	Your net claim
Joint savings / salary	Acquired (Art. 219/5): half goes back to the other side	TRY 1,000,000
Inheritance / your pre-marital money	Personal (Art. 220/4): all of it stays with you	TRY 1,250,000

The TRY 250,000 difference is exactly half of the claim: a claim arising from a contribution made out of joint savings is itself treated as joint and enters the division. That is why the calculator asks where the contribution came from. A calculation that does not ask gives a wrong result.

Worked example 3: only the increase in a bank account is shared

When you married, your account held TRY 10,000; today it holds TRY 30,000. Money in the account at the start of the regime is personal property regardless of its source (Art. 220/2). The amount entering liquidation is therefore TRY 20,000, not 30,000, and your spouse's participation claim is TRY 10,000. If the opening balance is higher than today's balance, nothing is left to liquidate.

Seven common mistakes in property division calculations

Each item below is a real flaw we found and corrected by checking the tool's engine against the source texts while building it; each is locked in with a test.

Using the wrong denominator for the contribution ratio. The denominator is the asset's value after the contribution. For a TRY 30,000 renovation contribution to a TRY 120,000 apartment, the denominator is 150,000 (20%), not 120,000 (25%). The difference inflates the claim by a quarter.
Not deducting the opening balance of a bank account. See example 3 above. Legal scholarship notes that this deduction is often skipped in practice.
Calculating the residual value in a single pool. In Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) practice, each asset is calculated separately with its own liabilities; an asset whose debt exceeds its value counts as zero and does not erode the others. The pooling method can drive the result down sharply.
Not asking where the contribution came from. Example 2: it changes the result by half the claim.
Valuing a transferred asset at its transfer price. Updating the transfer price for inflation is wrong; the asset's current market value is taken according to its condition on the date of transfer (2nd Civil Chamber, E. 2025/5731, K. 2026/6413).
Treating housework and childcare as a contribution. A contribution within the meaning of TMK Art. 227 must be measurable in money; the Court of Cassation does not count housework and childcare as contributions in this sense. But this limit does not apply to the participation claim: a spouse with no income at all may still claim a participation share in the other's acquired property.
Confusing the contribution claim with the participation claim. They are different claims: in the contribution claim the value is fixed as of the filing date, in the participation claim as of the judgment date; the contribution claim requires the claimant to have had income, the participation claim does not.

Which asset falls into which category?

Asset	Category	Basis
Salary, wages and anything bought with them	Acquired	Art. 219/1
Retirement bonus, Social Security Institution (SGK) payments	Acquired	Art. 219/2
Rental or interest income from personal property	Acquired	Art. 219/4
Assets owned before the marriage	Personal	Art. 220/2
Assets received by inheritance or gift	Personal	Art. 220/2
Wedding jewelry (ziynet)	Personal	Art. 220/1
Claims for non-pecuniary damages	Personal	Art. 220/3
Assets whose nature cannot be proven	Treated as acquired	Art. 222/3

The income from personal property is acquired property. This is the item most often overlooked. If the rent from an inherited apartment was saved up, those savings enter the division.

Marriages before 2002: the contribution claim is calculated separately

The regime of participation in acquired property entered into force on 1 January 2002. For couples who married earlier, separation of property applies up to that date (unless they agreed otherwise); the claim for that period is a contribution claim and is calculated differently. The ratio is found by dividing the contribution by the asset's value on the date of the contribution, and is then multiplied by the asset's value on the filing date. When you enter a marriage year before 2002 in the calculator, this section opens and the result is shown separately, without being added to the participation claim.

The valuation date: the most common mistake

The asset's condition is fixed as of the date the regime ended (the filing date); its value is fixed as of the liquidation date, meaning the day closest to the judgment. The Court of Cassation treats this as a mandatory rule: 2nd Civil Chamber, E. 2026/3234, K. 2026/4262. For an asset that has been transferred, updating the transfer price for inflation is wrong; the current market value is taken according to the asset's condition on the transfer date (2nd Civil Chamber, E. 2025/5731, K. 2026/6413).

For the conditions, the procedure and the details of the personal/acquired distinction, see the guide to property division in divorce (in Turkish); if your real estate was bought with a mortgage, see the mortgaged home liquidation tool (in Turkish). Wedding jewelry is not part of this calculation; the claim for wedding jewelry (in Turkish) proceeds separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a participation claim?

Under the statutory matrimonial property regime, participation in acquired property, it is each spouse's claim to half of the other spouse's residual value (TMK Art. 236/1). The residual value is the amount left from the total acquired property, taking additions and equalization into account, after the debts relating to that property have been deducted (Art. 231).

Which assets are divided and which are not?

Assets acquired for consideration during the marriage (savings from salary, a house or car bought with those savings, the income of personal property) are acquired property and enter liquidation (Art. 219). Assets owned before the marriage, assets received by inheritance or gift, claims for non-pecuniary damages and items serving only personal use are personal property and are not divided (Art. 220).

Is wedding jewelry (ziynet) included in this calculation?

No. Wedding jewelry is personal property (Art. 220/1) and is the subject of a separate claim for wedding jewelry. The case law on who owns it changed in 2026 (2nd Civil Chamber, E. 2025/10276, K. 2026/5181): the order applied is agreement, then proven local custom, then ownership by the person on whom the jewelry was placed.

When does the matrimonial property regime end?

In divorce, the regime ends on the date the divorce petition is filed (Art. 225/2). Assets acquired after that date do not enter liquidation; but the value of the assets is fixed as of the time of liquidation (in practice, the date closest to the judgment) (Art. 235/1).

We married before 2002. Does this calculation apply to us?

Partly. Between spouses who married before 1 January 2002, separation of property applies up to that date (unless they agreed otherwise); participation in acquired property applies from 1 January 2002 onward (Law No. 4722, Art. 10). The calculator only counts assets acquired after 2002 and says so on screen.

The house is registered in my spouse's name. Do I get nothing?

The title deed registration alone is not decisive. If the house was acquired during the marriage, it is acquired property regardless of whose name it is registered in, and the other spouse has a participation claim to half of its residual value (Art. 236/1). The same applies to a spouse who is a homemaker.

I paid the down payment with inherited money. How is that calculated?

This is a "mixed" asset: under Art. 230/3, the share of the personal source returns to the personal category according to the contribution ratio and the asset's value at the time of liquidation (equalization); the remainder enters liquidation in the acquired category. In the calculator, select "mixed" as the nature of the asset and enter the personal-source ratio.

My spouse sold or transferred assets before the divorce. What happens?

Two situations are added to the acquired property as values (Art. 229): gratuitous dispositions made without the other spouse's consent within one year before the end of the regime, and transfers made with the intent of reducing the participation claim. The value is calculated as of the transfer date (Art. 235/2). These items must be proven in court.

How do my spouse's debts affect the calculation?

Debts belonging to the acquired category are deducted from that spouse's acquired total; a debt whose category cannot be determined is charged to acquired property (Art. 230/2). If the debts exceed the acquired total, the balance is treated as zero; a negative balance is not recorded as a debt owed to the other spouse (Art. 231/2).

I put money or work into my spouse's asset, but it belongs to them. Do I have a right?

Yes: the value-increase share (Art. 227/1). If one spouse has contributed without consideration to the acquisition, improvement or preservation of an asset belonging to the other, a claim arises in proportion to the contribution and according to the asset's value at the time of liquidation; if the asset has lost value, the initial value of the contribution is taken as the basis.

What is the limitation period for a participation claim?

In practice, a ten-year limitation period running from the date the divorce judgment becomes final is accepted (by way of the general limitation period in the Turkish Code of Obligations (TBK) Art. 146). Since disputes over the period can turn on the particular file, the safest course is to act as soon as the divorce becomes final.

As of which date is the asset's value determined?

A two-part test applies: the asset's condition is that on the date the property regime ended (the filing of the divorce petition); its value is the market value on the liquidation date, meaning the date closest to the judgment. The Court of Cassation characterizes this as a mandatory rule of law (2nd Civil Chamber, E. 2026/3234, K. 2026/4262). The practical consequence is that renovations made after the petition was filed are not counted, but the asset's current market value is taken as the basis.

How is the calculation done if the house was bought with a mortgage?

In the calculator, in the "bought with a loan?" section under the asset, you enter the purchase price and the part of it covered from personal sources (inheritance, gift, pre-marital savings or installments paid before the marriage); the calculator works out the ratio itself and applies it to the asset's current value under TMK Art. 230/3. You do not need to calculate percentages. Installments paid after the divorce petition do not enter liquidation (Art. 225/2); they are assessed separately.

I do not know whether the asset is acquired or personal. What happens?

Choose "I don't know" in the nature selector. Under TMK Art. 222/3, "all property of a spouse is deemed acquired property until proven otherwise"; the calculator applies this presumption and states it clearly in the breakdown. The burden of proving that an asset is personal lies with the spouse who claims it is.

I contributed to my spouse's asset. Does it matter where the money came from?

Very much. The value-increase share is a claim that takes the place of the contribution: if the contribution was made from joint savings (acquired), the claim is also treated as acquired (Art. 219/5) and half goes back to the other side; if it was made from your inheritance or pre-marital money (personal), the claim is personal property (Art. 220/4) and all of it stays with you. The calculator asks about this distinction and changes the result accordingly.

How is the residual value calculated: each asset separately, or all in one pool?

There are two methods, and their results can differ. Legal scholarship pools all of a spouse's acquired property and all debts together. Court of Cassation practice calculates each asset separately with its own liabilities; an asset whose debt exceeds its value counts as zero and does not erode the other assets. The calculator primarily shows the Court of Cassation approach and, where the two results differ, also gives the figure under the pooling method. Source: Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB), Matrimonial Property Regimes under the Turkish Civil Code, Legal Literacy Series 2, 2019, p. 29.

During the marriage we jointly paid off the loan on a house my spouse bought before the marriage. Do I have a right?

Yes. The house remains personal property and is not divided; but to the extent its price was paid from acquired sources (joint income, salary), an equalization claim arises under TMK Art. 230/1. This claim is calculated as the ratio of those payments to the total price, applied to the asset's current value; because it is recorded in the owner's acquired category, half of it goes to the other spouse. In the calculator, mark the asset "Personal" and, in the section below it, enter the purchase price and the part paid from joint income.

Does interest accrue on the participation claim?

Yes. Unless agreed otherwise, interest runs on the participation claim and the value-increase share from the end of the liquidation (TMK Art. 239). The claim can also be paid in kind; if immediate payment would cause serious hardship for the debtor spouse, a reasonable deferral may be requested. This calculator does not calculate interest, because interest depends on a judgment date that does not yet exist.

Could I also have a claim for the period before 2002?

Possibly, but it is a separate type of claim: the contribution claim. It derives from the law of obligations and is calculated differently. The ratio is found by dividing the contribution by the asset's value on the date of the contribution, and is then multiplied by the asset's value on the filing date (not the judgment date, as in the participation claim). Separate criteria apply to contributions made through income or labor. This calculator does not calculate the contribution claim; for marriages before 2002, this item is assessed separately in a consultation.

Do housework and childcare count as a contribution?

No. A contribution within the meaning of TMK Art. 227 must be measurable in money; the Court of Cassation does not regard cooking and cleaning as a homemaker, or taking on the care of the children, as contributions in this sense (2nd Civil Chamber, E. 2007/8774, K. 2007/9394; Akıncı, in Essays in Honor of Cevdet Yavuz, 2016, p. 168). Expenses for the ordinary needs of the family and for the children of the marriage cannot be claimed either. An important distinction: this limit applies to the contribution claim and the value-increase share. For the participation claim, the claimant does not need to be working or to have income; a spouse with no income at all may still claim a participation share in the other's acquired property.

How is money in a bank account taken into account?

Money in the account at the start of the property regime is personal property regardless of its source (TMK Art. 220/2); only the increase therefore enters liquidation. For example, if an account holding TRY 10,000 at the start of the regime holds TRY 30,000 today, the amount entering liquidation is TRY 20,000, not 30,000; if the opening balance is higher than today's, nothing is left to liquidate. The calculator asks for this field when you select the savings type. Note: legal scholarship argues that the real (inflation-adjusted) value of the opening balance should be used; the calculator deducts the nominal amount.

We signed an uncontested divorce settlement. Does that extinguish my property regime claim?

It depends, and the point is debated. In an uncontested divorce the parties must agree on the financial consequences of the divorce (TMK Art. 166/II); if the wording of the settlement is unclear, it is debated whether it covers only the financial consequences of the divorce or the liquidation of the property regime as well. Legal scholarship argues that the parties' intent is to end the relationship entirely and that the settlement should be taken to cover liquidation too (Akıncı, op. cit., pp. 185-186). The wording of your settlement directly affects the outcome; it must be reviewed in a consultation.

Is the result of this calculator final?

No. The result is based on the values you enter (your own statements); definitive values are established from title deed and bank records and, where necessary, a court expert's examination. The judge's power to reduce the share in divorces based on adultery or an attempt on the other spouse's life (Art. 236/2) is not calculated. The calculator offers a preliminary assessment; litigation strategy is built on your file.

Related Legal Resources

Maintenance Calculator (in Turkish): the criteria that affect the amount of interim maintenance, child support and post-divorce alimony.
Maintenance Increase Calculator (in Turkish): the increase rate under the CPI/PPI index and the accumulated difference.
Maintenance Law: Current Status 2026 (in Turkish): the Constitutional Court (AYM) annulment on indefinite alimony, what changed and what did not.
Property Division in Divorce (in Turkish): the regime of participation in acquired property and the rules of division.
Contested Divorce Proceedings (in Turkish): the court process, evidence and points to watch.
Uncontested Divorce Settlement (in Turkish): drafting the settlement and the approval process.

Property Division in Divorce: Participation Claim Calculator