Category: Property Division
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Splitting Up the Property When You Aren’t Married but End Your Relationship
It’s no mystery – a lot of people fall in love, live together, but never get married. And in Washington, the law sometimes causes confusion when it comes to dissolving that kind of relationship, especially around property division. The rules about property during divorce and at death are often clearer for people who elect to…
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Who Gets the Pets in a Washington State Divorce?
Even though everyone understands that animals are beloved family members and not just property, animals still have no legal rights when it comes to divorce. Believe it or not, every U.S. state still considers an animal property and not a family member. So pet issues in divorce are complicated. Why? Because we love our pets as…
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What’s Considered Separate Property in a Washington Divorce?
In Washington State (and not all states are the same), separate property is recognized and taken into account in divorce proceedings. Separate property is exactly what it sounds like: the separate assets owned by each spouse before marriage. Separate property also includes gifts and inheritances even if they are received during the marriage. Here’s an…
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Divorces and Community Property
Separate and Community Property There are two systems by which married people own property. In almost all states, married people own property under a system called separate property. A minority of states subscribe to the community property system. Washington State is one of those states. In separate property states, each spouse owns, in his or…