Divorce and Inheritance
When two people get married, they usually do not expect their marriage to ever end. Unfortunately, it is estimated that 50% of all marriages will end in divorce. With this glaring statistic in mind, it is important to consider financial matters, including inheritance.
Though inheritance is usually left to one person, an heir may be married, and the inheritance may become joint property. If you recently received an inheritance and want to learn about safeguarding it from a divorce settlement, contact the San Diego divorce lawyers of Fischer & Van Thiel, LLP at 760-722-7646.
When Inheritance Becomes Joint Property
In any marriage, there is joint property and separate property. Most couples share a great deal of joint property, including homes, cars, and bank accounts. These pieces of property are fair game for division in a divorce settlement.
While it would seem that inheritance does not fall into the same category as these other pieces of property, this is not always true. Inheritance becomes joint property when:
- Both spouses invest in increasing the property’s value
- The inheritance is monetary and is placed in a joint bank account
- The value of the inheritance increases during marriage
With these conditions in mind, individuals can take steps to ensure that their inheritance will remain solely theirs in the event of a divorce.
Contact Us
The San Diego divorce attorneys of Fischer & Van Thiel, LLP may be able to help individuals protect their inheritance from being shared with their ex-spouses in the event of a divorce. Contact us today at 760-722-7646 for more information.
