Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California
I am in California. I live with the mother of my 2 children for 22. But we never legally married. I have a property(house) under my name on the grant deed. We will legally in 3 months will the house still my own separate property if its still under my name?
2 Answers from Attorneys
I think you mean you've lived with her for 22 years. Yes, the house will still be your separate property. She is an idiot for never insisting that you tie the knot. And you are a soulless cad for not marrying her, and for exercising your legal right to deprive her of any share of the house or other property that would have been community property had you married her 22 years ago. So what happens when you die? Odds are you'll die first. You're going to leave her broke and homeless? Have you cut her out of your will? Or do you not have a will, and she'll be broke and homeless when your property automatically passes to others?
I disagree, in part, with the previous answer. Your separate-property house MIGHT have become community property, or partially community property, if you had married previously, but that would happen only if you were making payments, or major improvements, on it after marriage. Getting married doesn't, by itself, convert separate property to community property. Also, the personal attacks are unwarranted.