What happens to property acquired after the marriage?

Property acquired during the marriage constitutes marital property and is divided equally between the spouses; however, property acquired after the marriage ends count as separate property - the question becomes a matter of timing, and states differ on when the marriage ends. Check your state laws for exact information, but state determine that a marriage ends in one of the following ways: 1) the date of the divorce decree, 2) the date of legal separation, 3) the date a separation agreement is executed, 4) the date of the spouses’ final separation, and 5) the date either spouse files for divorce. It is important to learn the cutoff date in your state before acquiring new property, because you may learn that it partially belongs to your spouse.