California law recognizes that both spouses make valuable contributions to a marriage. Most property will be labeled either community property or separate property.
Community property:
Community property is ALL property that you and your spouse acquired through labor or skill during the marriage is, at least in part, community property.
You and your spouse may have more community property than you realize. For example, you may have an interest in pension and profit-sharing benefits, stock options, other retirement benefits or a business owned by one or both of you. Each spouse owns half of the community property. This is true even if only one spouse worked outside of the home during the marriage—and even if the property is in only one spouse’s name.
With few exceptions, debts incurred during the marriage are community debts as well. This includes credit card bills, even if the card is in your name only. Student loans are an exception and are considered separate property debts. Community property possessions and debts are divided equally unless you and your spouse agree to an unequal division—or unless there are more debts than assets.
Keep in mind that if your spouse agrees to pay a community debt and fails to do so (or files for bankruptcy and discharges the debt), you may have to pay the creditor.
Division of possessions and debts can be complicated. You may want to seek legal advice before entering into any such agreement. And if you have already signed away your rights to certain property, consult an attorney to find out if you are bound by the agreement.
Finally, if you and your spouse cannot agree on the division of your debts and possessions, a judge will make the decision for you. He or she may not split everything in half; instead, the judge might give each of you items of equal value. For example, if your spouse gets the furniture and appliances, you might get the family car.
Separate property:
Separate property is property acquired before your marriage, including rents or profits received from these items; property received after the date of your separation with your separate earnings; inheritances that were received either before or during the marriage; and gifts to you alone, not you and your spouse.
Separate property is not divided during dissolution. Problems with identifying separate property occur when separate property has been mixed with community property.
However, you may be entitled to receive your separate property back even if it has been mixed. There are complex tracing requirements where property has been mixed.
Debts incurred before your marriage or after your separation are considered your separate property debts as well. You will be required to file proof that you delivered your spouse a list of all of your community and separate property, and your income and expenses, which is attached to documents called the preliminary and final declarations of disclosure. Determining the character of property can be complicated and mistakes can be costly.
You may want a lawyer’s help in making sure that your property is correctly listed as community or separate. Contact the Law Office of Cathleen E. Norton at (310) 300-4021 or email Cathleen. Disclaimer: This website provides general information and nothing contained herein should be construed as giving legal advice. Every situation is unique so the information contained on this website may not apply to your particular situation. You should not act upon any information in this website without seeking advice from a lawyer. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. The contents of this website may be an "Advertisement" as defined by The Rules of Professional Conduct and California Business and Professions Code. The information contained in this website is not intended for residents outside the state of California.
