Except upon the agreement of the parties, the court is required to divide the parties' community property equally. Property which is acquired during marriage is presumed to be community property. All property which was owned by a spouse prior to marriage or acquired by gift, bequest, devise or descent is considered separate property. Similarly, all earnings and accumulations which are acquired after the date of separation are the separate property of the acquiring spouse. Even when the spouses are in agreement about which of their assets is community property, dividing up the community estate can be a very complicated process which can get in the way of an amicable settlement. To learn more about what options are available to you, contact the The Law Office of Robert Goldsmith