You’ve been planning to get a divorce for some time, but you’re concerned about the way the courts will split your assets. You don’t want to lose more than you put into your marriage.
Louisiana is a community property state. That means that anything you collect during your marriage, like an income or assets, will be equally owned between you and your spouse. The same is true of debts.
For some people, this makes divorce more complicated, since they’ve invested heavily into the relationship. If they feel their spouse has not, then why would they want to give up half of everything to that individual?
Even if you feel that way, the law in Louisiana is straightforward. However, there is a chance you can protect some of your assets, even if you’re in a community property state.
You may be able to negotiate down how much your spouse gets if you can prove that he or she was negligent with your accounts or if he or she was committing adultery, although there is no guarantee. You can also work out a property division agreement outside court, which allows you and your spouse to come up with an agreement that is fair, even if it’s not a 50-50 split.
If you and your spouse have both put similar amounts of money and time into your relationship, the community property laws may make your divorce easier. All you need to decide is which assets you want to retain while splitting your property as equally as possible.
Our site has more on community property laws and what to expect in a Louisiana divorce. With help, you can improve your chances of a fair and positive outcome.
