If you are getting divorced in Columbus, OH, you might be wondering how your property is going to be divided. There are a few things you should know about property division. Here’s what you need to know and how women’s divorce attorneys in the area can help you.

Ask Women’s Divorce Attorneys in Columbus, OH: How Do Assets Get Divided in an Ohio Divorce?

What Is the Standard for Dividing Property in Ohio?

Generally, there are two different methods that states will use to divide property during a divorce: community property and equitable distribution. Ohio is an equitable distribution state, which means the marital property may not be divided equally between you and your spouse, but it must be divided fairly. To better understand how property division works, you must understand the difference between different types of property.

Marital Property

This type of property refers to anything that was gained during your marriage. This includes things like homes and other real estate investments, retirement benefits, bank accounts, and artwork. In some cases, spouses can come to an agreement on their own as to who should get what.
 
But if you are unable to agree on how your marital assets should be divided, a judge will determine who should get what. There are several factors a judge will take into account including the length of the marriage, the assets and liabilities of both you and your ex, and the liquidity of the property that is being distributed.

Separate Property

Separate property refers to property that was gained outside of the marriage. Sometimes there can be some difficulty in determining whether something is separate property or marital property. For instance, if you have an investment property that you purchased before marriage that went up in value because the area it’s in did as well, that will continue to be separate property.
 
However, if you bought the property before marriage and the value of the property went up because you and your spouse both put work into it throughout your marriage, that would likely become marital property.

How Can a Lawyer Help You?

You’ll Get Expert Legal Advice

If you are considering representing yourself during a legal battle of any kind, you should think twice. You may not have the training or expertise you need for something like this.
Columbus, OH divorce attorneys for women, however, do have this training. Your lawyer will have spent years training in this field and they’ll know how to ensure that you get a fair division of your property. They’ll also offer you advice and other legal guidance during this time.

They’ll Help You File Everything on Time

There are several important documents that you will need to file over the course of your divorce, including when you are determining how you are going to divide your property. But when you’re already dealing with the overall stress of a divorce, it can be hard to keep track of what needs to be filed and when.
 
Your lawyer will know what documents need to be filled out and where they need to go. They’ll ensure that everything you need is filled out accurately and filed on time so you don’t need to worry.

They’ll Help You Differentiate Between Separate and Marital Property

Before you bring your case in front of the judge presiding over it, you’ll need to make a complete list of all your assets. Make sure that your list is thorough, honest, and complete. If you hide an asset from your spouse and they find out later, that could get you into a lot of trouble.
 
Your lawyer can help you build up this list and assist you with differentiating between what is separate property and what is marital property. They can also help you find the evidence you need to prove what property belongs to what category.

They’ll Ensure Your Rights Are Respected

If your ex is hiring legal representation, then this is all the more reason to make sure you have a qualified lawyer on your side too. You don’t have the same training that a lawyer does, and if you don’t have representation, your ex’s attorney may try to take advantage of that.
 
But if you do have a lawyer backing you up, it will be much harder for your ex’s lawyer to take advantage of you. This means that you can be sure that the property will be divided fairly between yourself and your ex.
 
Getting divorced is a stressful process, especially when you’re trying to figure out how your property is going to be divided. This is why you should always work with a qualified lawyer. Your lawyer will make sure that you get accurate legal representation and that all property is divided fairly.