What Happens to a Premarital Home in a Divorce?

• A premarital home is considered separate property rather than a marital asset.
• Many people own homes before they marry and, sometimes, the spouses live in one or the other’s home prior to the marriage, contributing to its upkeep.
• The court will consider what happened beginning on the date of the marriage, so any claim the non-titled spouse may have will be limited.
• No clear picture of one party’s claim on a house owned by the other will be available when the divorce process begins.
• It is important to remember that, although you may still own a premarital home, it may not have retained much equity. Many people own houses that aren’t true assets and may, if they are heavily mortgaged, actually be debts.