Property Division in Olympia

Going through an Olympia divorce is difficult for a variety of reasons, but issues of property division can often lead to frustration and resentment. This is because what one party considers fair may not sit well with the other party. In Olympia divorce cases where only a few assets are involved, reaching an agreement can be simple, but when there are many assets there is risk that your Washington State divorce can devolve into a contentious affair.

One thing to keep in mind is that when you get an Olympia divorce, assets are divided equally between you and your ex-spouse, whether it is community property or separate. Your Olympia divorce lawyer must consider your personal goals during negotiations so that they can focus on the items that are most important to you.

If you owned certain assets before you were legally married in Washington State, then our Olympia property division attorneys can seek to protect them from negotiations. This is because Washington State law does not recognize property obtained before a marriage as a community asset.

When you need counsel you can rely on, during negotiations or in court, you need a Washington State divorce attorney who is both experienced and dedicated. Property division is one of the most important parts of any Olympia divorce, so make sure that you do everything you can to protect your interests.

Because the court seeks to separate property in an equitable way, there are sometimes special circumstances that can influence the court's decision. Sometimes a spouse gives up their career to help their spouse pursue their own professional career. In these cases, your Thurston County property division lawyer may be able to persuade the court to “balance the scales” by increasing your personal share of the community assets.

If you have children and were a stay-at-home spouse that took primary care of the children, you may have legal leverage to keep your house or live in it. There are other situations that may influence the court's decision in regards to property division, which is why our legal team takes extra time to fully understand you personal situation.

Sometimes clients feel like they are entitled to a larger share of community assets because their spouse was unfaithful. While adultery can be painful and cause a great deal of emotional upheaval, it does not warrant more than an equal share of community assets. This is because Washington is a no-fault state, so the reasons why the marriage failed are not relative to property division issues.

However, there is one exception. If your spouse used community assets to support an adulterous affair or drug habit, the court may take this into consideration when making their judgement.

To get a better understanding of how the law applies to property division in your divorce case, you can talk to an experienced Olympia divorce attorney without any obligation whatsoever. Contact us by phone or by filling out our online form, and a Washington State divorce attorney will contact you within 24 hours to address your concerns. This consultation is free, so there is no reason you shouldn’t explore your legal options when negotiating an Olympia divorce.

Before negotiations begin, you need to reveal all of your assets to our divorce lawyers in Olympia. This is especially true of high-dollar assets such as real estate, homes, or businesses. Our Olympia divorce attorneys will also assist you with assets such as jewelry, furniture, and any other items that you acquired during your marriage. Finally, Your Olympia divorce lawyer will review any bank or retirement accounts; doing everything they can to be as thorough as possible.

Obstacles will need to be overcome along the way, but with over 50 years of combined experience practicing family law your Washington State divorce attorney can help you overcome them. Also, if there are assets for which you have a personal attachment, such as a treasured family heirloom, our Olympia attorneys will do everything they can to secure that item as part of an agreement.

No matter what, your Olympia property division lawyer will give your case the attention it deserves, working to ensure that the division of your property is fair and balanced.