Editing Community property (section)

{{Short description|Marital property regime}}

{{Property law}}

'''Community property''' (United States) also called '''community of property''' (South Africa) is a [[marital property regime]] whereby property acquired during a [[marriage]] is considered to be owned by both spouses and subject to division between them in the event of divorce. Conversely, property owned by one spouse before the marriage, along with gifts and inheritances they receive during marriage, are treated as that spouse's separate property in the event of divorce. In some cases, separate property can be "transmuted" into community property, or be included in the marital estate for reasons of equity. Community property can also be relevant in [[probate]] law, during the disposition of a [[Will and testament|will]].

The concept of community property originated in [[civil law (legal system)|civil law]] jurisdictions but is now also found in some [[common law]] jurisdictions. Community property regimes can be found in countries around the world including [[Sweden]],<ref name="swedenInternationalFamily">{{Cite web|url=http://www.internationalfamilylawfirm.com/2018/10/marrying-swede-or-swedish-and-getting.html|title=Marrying a Swede? Or Swedish and Getting Married? Don't You Need a Prenuptial Agreement?|first=Jeremy|last=Morley}}</ref> [[Germany]],<ref name="germanyCouplesEurope">{{Cite web|url=http://www.coupleseurope.eu/en/germany/topics/2-is-there-a-statutory-matrimonial-property-regime-and-if-so-what-does-it-provide/|title=Is there a statutory matrimonial property regime and if so, what does it provide? - Couples in Germany|website=www.coupleseurope.eu}}</ref> [[Italy]],<ref name="couplesEuropeItaly">{{Cite web|url=http://www.coupleseurope.eu/en/italy/topics/2-is-there-a-statutory-matrimonial-property-regime-and-if-so-what-does-it-provide/|title=Is there a statutory matrimonial property regime and if so, what does it provide? - Couples in Italy|website=www.coupleseurope.eu}}</ref> [[France]],<ref name="couplesEuropeFrance">{{Cite web|url=http://www.coupleseurope.eu/en/france/topics/2-is-there-a-statutory-matrimonial-property-regime-and-if-so-what-does-it-provide/|title=Is there a statutory matrimonial property regime and if so, what does it provide? - Couples in France|website=www.coupleseurope.eu}}</ref> [[South Africa]]<ref name="divorceLawsSouthAfrica">{{Cite web|url=https://www.divorcelaws.co.za/marriage-in-community-of-property.html|title=Marriage in Community of property - Family law}}</ref> and parts of the [[United States]].<ref name="findLawUSMineYours">{{Cite web|url=https://family.findlaw.com/marriage/what-s-mine-is-mine-what-s-yours-is-mine-who-owns-what-in.html|title=Marital Property: Who Owns What?|website=Findlaw}}</ref> In civil law countries such as Spain, France and Germany, spouses can generally select one of several [[matrimonial regime]]s to divide property, with community property being one option, along with the [[Matrimonial regime#Separate property systems|separate property system]] and a [[Matrimonial regime#Participation system|participation system]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Gerhard | first=Ute | title=Frauen in der Geschichte des Rechts von der frühen Neuzeit bis zur Gegenwart | publication-place=München | date=1997 | isbn=978-3-406-42866-1 | oclc=243866547 | language=de}}</ref><ref>Ramos Pazos, René (2007). ''Derecho de Familia''. Santiago: Editorial Jurídica de Chile. pp. 158–160.</ref><ref>Tous, P., and Éric Fongaro. ''Droit international privé patrimonial de la famille''. LexisNexis, 2017.</ref>