Part of any divorce in Dallas Texas is dividing the marital estate. A marital estate includes both the assets and debts that are considered community property and does not include any separate property assets of either spouse.

1.  Identify the property.

The first step in dividing the marital estate in a divorce is to identify all of the property that either spouse owns, without regard to when or how the property was acquired.

2.  Characterize the property.

The second step in dividing the marital estate involves characterizing the marital property as either community property or separate property. Community property includes any asset that was obtained during the marriage. For example, a person’s earnings received during the marriage are community property so anything purchased with those earnings would also be community property. Any asset owned before the marriage or acquired through gift or inheritance would be that spouse’s separate property and would not be subject to division by the divorce court. Likewise, any debt incurred during the marriage based on the spouse’s credit would be a community debt. Any debt that was obtained prior to the marriage or during the marriage but where the creditor agreed to look only to the spouse’s separate property for satisfaction, the debt would be separate.

3.  Value the community property.

Before a court — or the parties in negotiations — can assess whether a division of the marital estate is "just and right" under the law, a value must be assessed to each asset. For example, a residence or antique collection may need to be appraised. Often the marital estate will own an interest in a business entity, so the business entity will need to be valued. Pension plans can be troublesome to value because of the future time value of money. Debt values also need to be obtained.

4.  Undertake a just and right division of the community estate.

The legal standard for division of property in Texas is that the division must be "just and right". The courts are required to begin with a 50/50 division of the entire estate (assets and debts) and adjust from there based on whatever equities exist in a particular situation. Such equities may include that one spouse has a disability, or the other spouse has much greater earning capacity. Custody of children and the size of a spouse’s separate estate can also be considered. The division does not have to be half of each asset. Much like a balance sheet in the business context, one asset can be awarded to one spouse and another asset can be awarded in its entirety to the other spouse with an adjustment for the value of each asset. Also, one asset may not be worth the same to a particular spouse as another asset. One spouse may value cash in the bank more highly and the other spouse may value maintaining retirement assets. All of these factors must be considered in the division.
 

Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of Michelle O'Neil Michelle O'Neil

Michelle May O’Neil has 30+ years’ experience representing small business owners, professionals, and individuals in litigation related to family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and complex property division. Described by one lawyer as “a lethal combination of sweet-and-salty”, Ms. O’Neil exudes…

Michelle May O’Neil has 30+ years’ experience representing small business owners, professionals, and individuals in litigation related to family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and complex property division. Described by one lawyer as “a lethal combination of sweet-and-salty”, Ms. O’Neil exudes genuine compassion for her client’s difficulties, yet she can be relentless when in pursuit of a client’s goals. One judge said of Ms. O’Neil, “She cannot be out-gunned, out-briefed, or out-lawyered!”

Family Law Specialist

Ms. O’Neil became a board-certified family law specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 1997 and has maintained her certification since that time. While representing clients in litigation before the trial court is an important part of her practice, Ms. O’Neil also handles appellate matters in the trial court, courts of appeals and Texas Supreme Court. Lawyers frequently consult with Ms. O’Neil on their litigation cases about specialized legal issues requiring particularized attention both at the trial court and appellate levels. This gives her a unique perspective and depth of perception that benefits both her litigation and appellate clients.

Top Lawyers in Texas and America

Ms. O’Neil has been named to the list of Texas SuperLawyers for many years, a peer-voted honor given to only about 5% of the lawyers in the state of Texas. Ms. O’Neil received the special honor of being named by Texas SuperLawyers as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas, Top 100 Lawyers in Texas, and Top 100 Lawyers in DFW for multiple years. She was named one of the Best Lawyers in America and received an “A-V” peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directories for the highest quality legal ability and ethical standards.

Author and Speaker

A noted author, Ms. O’Neil released her second book Basics of Texas Divorce Law in November 2010, with a second edition released in 2013, and a third edition expected in 2015.  Her first book, All About Texas Law and Kids, was published in September 2009 by Texas Lawyer Press. In 2012, Ms. O’Neil co-authored the booklets What You Need To Know About Common Law Marriage In Texas and Social Study Evaluations.  The State Bar of Texas and other providers of continuing education for attorneys frequently enlist Ms. O’Neil to provide instruction to attorneys on topics of her expertise in the family law arena.