Community Property and Divorce Cases

If you are considering divorce in the future, you will need to understand the concepts of property division and community property.

No matter what state you reside in, the basic concept of community property remains the same. The term applies to any property that you acquire during the length of your marriage and during the time leading up to your separation. This does not necessarily include gifts or inheritance, however, so you will need to check with a family law attorney in your state to learn more about how such items may be divided post-divorce.

The majority of property acquired during the marriage will come from income, which can be in the form of money or other items that have been given for services rendered by one of the spouses. For example, if a spouse received stock instead of a salary, if the employer made contributions to a profit-sharing plan, if stock options were given as incentives, or if a spouse has vacation pay that has accrued, all of these may be considered community property and become subject to distribution.

Property division is often a contentious subject during divorces. For this reason, people should protect their assets and themselves by hiring a Los Angeles divorce attorney, such as the attorneys at our firm. Contact us to learn more about community property laws in California.