The Social Security system is in place to help us through difficult times. Unfortunately, there are some instances in which the system makes our lives even more difficult than they need to be. The day I received the denial letter for my claim, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. After talking with a few friends, I contacted a lawyer. That was the best decision I had ever made. Even with the professional assistance, getting the denial overturned and getting the money that I was owed took several months. I have kept a clear journal of my experience and loaded it with information that can help others get through what can be an impossible time.
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Social security denial - a journal of assistance
How To Protect Assets You Had Before The Marriage
Alexis Garcia
Many married people don't realize that their personal assets can be considered fair game in a divorce until a divorce is already looming. At this point in time, it is difficult to take the measures that are necessary to prevent your spouse from going after your personal assets in the divorce.
To protect your assets, your future divorce attorney would definitely advise that you know how to keep these assets completely separate during your marriage.
Keep Separate Funds Separate
It's not enough to know how much money you had in a bank account before you got married--you must also ensure that those funds never mix with any funds that are considered marital income.
For example, if you've gotten a non-marital gift or if you've received an inheritance while you're already married, ensure that these funds don't end up in the same accounts as those that hold your regular income. Once this happens, according to courts, you can no longer differentiate what money is coming out.
Keep Your Personal Real Estate Separate
The moment you add your spouse's name to the deed to your house, in the eyes of the law, you've gifted them half the property or half its value. A common mistake that married people make is to add the names of their spouses to deeds and bank accounts that they held prior to marriage. This is something you should only do if you're willing to hand over half the value of the property to them in a divorce.
Don't Use Marital Funds On Non-Marital Property
Maintaining property that is separate from your marital property can get very expensive. Whether it's to make repairs or to pay the mortgage, you may find yourself in need of cash injection from somewhere else.
However, if the cash injection comes from your marital funds, this can muddy the waters on whether or not this property should actually be considered non-marital property. This is because the marital funds will have added value to that property. Therefore, courts will have the difficult task of establishing how much value the marital funds added to your non-marital property.
Keep the Bank Statements for Retirement Accounts from Before Your Marriage
Retirement accounts are also fair game in a divorce. You can protect some of the money in this account by keeping the statements from before you got married. This means only what entered the account after the marriage will be split.
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