Texas Legal Glossary · Family Law

Inventory and Appraisement

Written and reviewed by Shane M. Boasberg, founder of SMB Law, PC · Licensed in Texas since 2003 · Updated October 2026

Definition: An inventory and appraisement is a sworn, itemized list each spouse prepares in a Texas divorce showing every asset and debt, its value, and whether it is community or separate property, which courts may order under Family Code § 6.502.

Also called: sworn inventory, I&A

What an inventory and appraisement means in Texas

An inventory and appraisement is a document signed under oath in which a spouse lists all property and debts, assigns each a value, and states whether it is community or separate. Texas Family Code § 6.502(a)(1) authorizes the court, while a divorce is pending, to require a sworn inventory and appraisement of the real and personal property owned or claimed by the parties and specifying the character of each.

The document follows a standard structure used across Texas: real property, bank accounts, retirement accounts, vehicles, business interests, life insurance, personal effects, and then debts, each with balances and a valuation date. A separate schedule lists any separate property claims and any reimbursement claims.

How it works in practice

In Travis County, local rules and scheduling orders commonly require both spouses to exchange sworn inventories by a set deadline, often before mediation. The inventory is sworn, so a knowing omission is a false statement under oath. Courts take that seriously. Property left off an inventory is a frequent basis for reopening a decree.

Values come from account statements, appraisals, and Kelley Blue Book figures. Where spouses disagree on value, especially for a business or a house, each side’s inventory states its own number and the gap gets resolved by appraisers, negotiation, or the judge. Inventories are also exchanged in uncontested cases, in a simpler form.

Why it matters in your case

The inventory is the map of the case. It fixes what is in the estate, frames every characterization dispute, and gives the mediator and judge a single document to work from. It also locks in each spouse’s position under oath. We prepare inventories early because assembling the records tends to surface the commingling and tracing issues before they become surprises at trial.

Example

Nadia and Omar file for divorce in Travis County. The scheduling order requires sworn inventories 30 days before mediation. Omar’s inventory lists the house at $610,000; Nadia’s lists it at $560,000. Omar claims his truck as separate property because he bought it a month before the wedding. At mediation the parties agree on a $585,000 house value, and Omar produces the truck title and purchase receipt to support the separate claim.

This entry explains Texas law in general terms and is not legal advice for any specific situation. Statutes and case law change; the date above reflects the last review.