splitting assets in divorce include amount owed on a ca

When splitting marital assets and liabilities, you don't necessarily split each individual asset and each individual debt.  Generally, it all gets thrown into the "net worth pool, " so to speak.  Then the net worth is split up.  So, e.g., if one car is worth $12,000 free and clear, and the other car is worth $18,000 but $6,000 is still owed on that car, then one party would take the $12,000 car, and the other party would take the $18,000 car along with the $6,000 car loan.  That would be an even split.  Modify that scenario a little, so that the $18,000 car has $9,000 left to pay on it.  In that case, one party would take the $18,000 car and the $9,000 car loan, and the other party would take the $12,000 car and give the first party $3,000 to even things out.