Frequently Asked Questions About Marital Property in Maryland

No, a court cannot require one spouse to pay the sole credit card debt of the other. If the credit card debt is in the joint names of the parties, then you are both responsible for that debt. If the credit card debt was incurred to pay family expenses, the court may take that into consideration when considering the monetary award.

The term "property" encompasses many things, including the obvious, like houses, cars, bank accounts, jewelry, furniture, and art. But property is more than things you can lay your hands on; it also includes intangible things, like patents, trademarks, the value of certain investments, and goodwill in a business.

Marital property is all property, however titled, acquired by one or both parties during the marriage. Marital property includes any interest in real property held as tenants by the entireties unless that real property is excluded by valid agreement.

Non-marital or separate property is any property that was acquired before the marriage; acquired by inheritance or gift from a third party; is excluded by valid agreement; or is directly traceable to any of the foregoing sources.

"Dissipation" is the term for one spouse using marital property for his or her own benefit for a purpose unrelated to the marriage, at a time where the marriage is undergoing an irreconcilable breakdown. If the court finds that the property was dissipated, it will value it and treat it as if it still exists and use it as part of the property division to the detriment of the spouse that used it.

A monetary award is an order from the court giving to one party a financial award of marital property in an absolute divorce. It is intended to compensate a spouse who holds title to less than an equitable portion of property.