In Texas, separate property means anything that you owned before the marriage, anything you inherited, or anything that was gifted to you. However, separate property can inadvertently become a mixed-character property or community property.
Some common ways in which separate property might become mixed property include:
- Refinancing your separate property (like a house owned before marriage) and adding your spouse to the deed.
- Using money earned before marriage or inherited money to cover part of the down payment for a house purchased during marriage.
- Receiving a car as a gift from your spouse but putting the car in both names on the title.
While it is sometimes possible to trace separate property, it is often very expensive and not always practical.
Call Jane Gekhman at (940) 222-6014 if you are going through a family law matter. We can help.