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| HOW AN EX-SON-IN-LAW ACQUIRED HIS WIFE'S INHERITANCE A 1993 experience in Annapolis, MD is the genesis for this story. The parents came in for an estate planning session and told me the story of their daughter and son-in-law. The parents had given the daughter one of their rent houses ... and she and her husband moved into it for their family residence. After some years, they sold that house, bought another and took title to the new house "Joint Tenants With Right of Survivorship," (JTROS). See also, Deeds to Real Estate Some time after that, and after producing three children, the couple divorced. In the divorce settlement, the son-in-law was awarded the right to sell the house and to keep one half of the proceeds. The judge ruled that the joint property was divisible in the divorce even though it was purchased with assets inherited from the wife's family. So, it is easy to see how gifted or inherited property can become marital property for purposes of divorce. We sometimes hear, in various states, that inherited property is protected from division by divorce. But, this case is more like what really happens. People do sell houses, move to other houses and take title as they please. Epilogue: The ex-son-in-law has married twice since, divorced both wives and received similar settlements. According to the couple with whom I met, he is now awaiting the death of an 83-year-old mother-in-law before divorcing his current wife. Dealing with the cream of American society, the hard-working and extremely caring members of families who play by the rules, pay their bills and try, in every way, to teach their families to do right, I find it hard to realize that such human debris exists in our world. But, unfortunately, such people do exist ... and they often thrive on the hard-earned assets of people like you. You will be wise to guard against the possibility that your assets might be scavenged by the likes of the aforesaid son-in-law. See also, How to Disinherit Your Son-In-Law See also, Keep Your Money Out of Your Daughter's Divorce
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