If a spouse withdraws or hides funds from a joint account before filing for divorce, Washington courts can still order the money replaced or offset the withdrawal in the final property division. Joint account funds are community property regardless of who deposited them or who made the withdrawal. It’s a scenario we see often at…
For many divorcing couples, deciding who gets what can be the most difficult aspect of a divorce. To ensure that you are treated fairly in a divorce proceeding – and that you get what is rightfully yours – you should be advised and represented by a Washington divorce attorney. A divorce entails making a number…
If you are facing divorce, you are not alone. It’s estimated that nearly 40 to 50% of marriages end in divorce. You’ll have many questions over the next few months, including: How do we divide our assets? How do we file taxes now that we are split up? What happens to a house in a divorce?…
Divorce is complicated enough, and when property is involved, things can get even more complicated. 40-50% of couples in the United States get divorced, making the issue of how to divide property a common one. Since most married couples purchase property together, it can be hard to determine who owns what. Understanding marital…
Washington law provides that when a couple divorces, all of their property is divided between the parties. Dividing some items of property is a relatively easy process, but some forms of property take more time and consideration than others. Property includes not only real estate and bank accounts, but also retirement plans, business interests, pensions,…
Whether your spouse will receive any portion of your business in your divorce depends greatly on a number of different factors. Whether all or part of the business constitutes community or separate property, the length of your marriage, ownership of the business, and the longevity of the business are all factors that help determine how…
Washington is a community property state. This means that any income, property, or debts that a couple acquires during a marriage is assumed to belong to both partners equally. This is the case even if only one spouse purchased the property or actually owes the debt—under the state’s community property laws, all assets and debts…
Many couples assume that a prenuptial agreement is unnecessary. When two people get married at a relatively young age, neither person may have the assets or career that would seem to warrant a prenup. However, as the marriage goes on circumstances may change, and you could end up dealing with a messy, expensive divorce. This…
Marital debts, just like marital assets, are fairly divided between spouses during a divorce. Because Washington is a community property state, all income, property, and debts that either spouse acquires during the marriage belongs to the marital estate and must be split relatively equally between the spouses. The responsibility for a marital debt can be…