Divorce Lawyer in Escondido

In community property states all assets and debts acquired throughout the marriage are divided equally in a divorce.  If you had assets before your were married, they will be viewed as "separate property" if, in fact, that property was kept separate from the "community property".  The same holds true for separate investments, and property that you exclusively inherited when a family member of yours died.  If you know you will be going through a divorce, it is crucial that you pull together all pertinent information about your property, such as its current worth, when you purchased it, and account numbers.  You can then share this information with your divorce attorney so he can help protect your assets.  A qualified divorce lawyer will be able to advise you about the division of property laws in California, and determine how best to manage your specific situation.

Protecting Your Assets

You will need help from an attorney to protect your part of the assets that may be considered community property.  Some ways to go about doing this are:

• Pull together all records re bank accounts, investments, pensions, valuable property, vehicles, and homes you both own.  Describe in writing any other assets.  Your attorney will use this as proof to the judge of what shared assets exist.
• If your spouse has removed items from the home, make a list of the missing items
• Put all jewelry, deeds, and expensive items in a safe deposit box.
• Cancel joint credit cards
• Have items like home jewelry and antiques appraised to determine their value
• Remove any powers of attorney given to your spouse re your personal assets or legal matters
• Speak with your attorney about closing joint bank accounts
• Speak with your attorney about filing a restraining order to prevent your spouse from seizing marital assets

In a community property state, it may be wise to think about a prenuptial agreement when you marry (or remarry) to minimize the upset and hostility that may occur over assets in the event of a divorce.  Representing clients in North and Northeast San Diego County certified family law specialist and mediator Attorney Gordon Meyer will put his 38 years of experience to work for you.

Contact a Divorce Lawyer today to protect your marital assets.