Do I Have To Split The Stock I Brought In Marriage With My Spouse If I Brought It With My Separate Bank Account?

Q: During my marriage, I brought a few stocks using my separate bank account (that I owned prior to marriage). In the event of divorce, are these stocks and my bank account considered marital property? When we got married neither of us had any prior assets as well.

A: In a divorce, the term “separate” doesn’t mean that it’s merely “in your sole name.” It’s a legal term generally signifying pre-martial assets (though may reach other assets such as inheritance). As such, if you acquired the stocks during the marriage & deposited marital money into the bank account, then generally those items are “marital property” subject to equitable distribution. Schedule a consult with a Bronx Divorce attorney for a full assessment.