What’s the difference between matrimonial and non-matrimonial assets?
Matrimonial assets are financial assets that you and/or your spouse have acquired during your marriage. Non-matrimonial assets are financial assets acquired by you and/or your spouse either before you got married or after your divorce.
Matrimonial assets typically include things such as the family home, pensions and savings. It doesn’t really matter who put the money forward for these assets or who accumulated the wealth. When you’re married, the law in England and Wales considers that any assets you acquire during the marriage also belong to your husband or wife. So, for example, if you contribute towards a pension during your marriage, your spouse is entitled to a share of it.
Examples of matrimonial assets
There are no hard-and-fast rules but for the average couple, marital assets typically include:
- The family home (even if only one partner has their name on the title deeds)
- Pensions and savings accounts
- Stocks and financial investments
- Businesses
- Furniture and other household items
- Cars and other vehicles
- Property
Inaelekea wanasheria wetu na mahakimu wengi hamjui chochote kuhusu Matrimonial assets. Kama nilivyokuwa nasema na inavyothibitishwa hapo juu haijalishi nani amechanga nini katika mali za familia. Kingine ni kuwa hizi assets haziangalii nani yuko kwenya jina la hati. Aidha, kama ulikuwa na nyumba yako kabla ya ndoa lakini baada ya ndoa ikawa inatumika kama makazi ya familia, hiyo ni matrimonial assets na inaingizwa katika mali zitakazo gawiwa. Na pande zote katika talaka zinatakiwa kueleza mahakama mali zote walizokuwa nazo. Kuficha mali kwa kutumia labda majina ya watu wengine ni kosa la jinai.
Tofauti na ilivyodaiwa humu ndani, Mahakama ina mamlaka makubwa kuhusu mgao wa mali zilizopatikana katika ndoa ikiwa pamoja na investments na stocks. Hata kama mke kasema hahitaji kitu mahakama inaangalia haki yake na uwezo wake wa kuendelea na standard ya maisha aliyozoea wakati wa ndoa. Barua kama hizo zinakuwa hazina mashiko kwa sababu wakati mwingine zinapatikana under duress au mtu anakuwa katika hali ya kutojua analolifanya.
Huu ni mfano kutoka UK ambako sheria zetu nyingi zimekuwa based.
Wanawake wengi wanadhulumiwa kwa sababu ya kutokujua, kukata tamaa mbele ya mfumo dume au imani potofu kuwa akiiachia kila kitu mwanaume anaweza kubadili mawazo na kumrudia. Mambo kama kutokuwa muaminifu katika ndoa, majaribio ya kumuua, uchawi, matumizi mabaya ya fedha, kutopenda ndugu za mume n.k. ni grounds for divorce na hayahusiki katika mgawanyo wa assets. Hii kampeni ya kumchafua huyu dada haitakiwi kuwa na mashiko yeyote katika shauri lake.
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