Family law
Marital settlement agreement
Also called property settlement agreement
A written agreement in which divorcing spouses record how they've settled issues such as property, debts, support and, often, parenting.[1][2]
In more detail
Florida's family rules require one in a simplified dissolution.[1] California's courts tell couples with a written agreement to submit it with their final forms so the judge can make it part of the judgment.[2] It is often the main product of divorce mediation.
Varies by state
Forms and requirements differ by state. Find your state’s rules.
Related terms
- Equitable distributionThe way many states divide marital assets and debts in a divorce: fairly, which isn't always equally.
- AlimonyMoney a court may order one spouse to pay the other during or after a divorce.
- Settlement agreementThe written terms the parties agree to that resolve their dispute.
- Mediated settlement agreement (MSA)A written agreement the parties sign at the end of a successful mediation.
- Financial disclosureThe required exchange of information about what each spouse owns, owes, earns and spends in a divorce or legal separation.
- Memorandum of understanding (MOU)A written summary of what the parties agreed in mediation.
Read next on MediationList
Sources
The official documents this definition is based on, with the date we last read each one. Definitions are in our own words.
- Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, Oct. 1, 2026 edition (last read Oct. 10, 2026; not re-checked, because this host is on our do-not-fetch list)↩
- Finalize your divorce↩
General information, not legal advice. MediationList is not a law firm. Spotted an error? Tell us.
Cite this page
MediationList. (2026, October 28). Marital settlement agreement: Definition. https://mediationlist.com/glossary/marital-settlement-agreement/
APA 7th ed. A retrieval date is included only for pages whose content changes, such as maps, data and tools.