I inherited property before we married and then sold it recently to settle an estate with my family. I bought a new house and a new truck with the money and now the soon to be ex wants half of everything. We have been married less than 3 years and he has not provided any income into the home. I have been paying the bills out of the money that has been left over.
Legally what the settlement will be based on is if you can prove that the inheratance was used to purchase the items you listed and that there was never an intermingling of funds.
As an example, you used the inheratance money to purchase the home, it was never deposited into a joint account with the soon to be ex, he did not put a dime into any of the assets you purchased with the money. If any of these did occur than legally he will have a right to challenge your claim that you made the purchase with 100% inheratance.
As an fyi an inheratance kept solely to the person who inherated the money and was never combined with the other persons money is 100% not marital property, it is when it is intermingled in marital assets that is becomes marital property.
I think a big question in the settlement will also be the fact that you supported him ( a stay at home husband???) even though you were not married a long time if you suppported him he may fight you for spousal support which he may win or may not depending on your state laws and his attorneys ability to fight for it.
I kept the money in my account and he never contributed to the purchase of anything. He is a user plain and simple. He doesnt work a job with a paycheck because he owes so much to three different states for child support. He went and talked to a lawyer and forgot to mention that it was Not a shared account and that he has no proof of income. He also ower back taxes. So he has many reasons to keep wanting to take from me.
Because you kept the money separate legally he will have no right to the items purchased with the inheratance. Keep in mind just because he has no legal right to it does not mean he will not tell you he does, or he will fight you during the divorce for it, but if you get into a divorce trial he has no legal right to the money or items purchased with the money and no judge will allow it to be granted to him.
If he did work during this marriage try to get proof that he did and proof that he is capable of supporting himself, just in case he tries to state otherwise. Most states will not grant spousal support for a marriage less than 10 years, but this also does not mean he will not fight you for it.
He will be entitiled to half of the increase of a 401K fund, if you have this, and half of the assets aquired during the marriage, not purchased with the inheratance (no matter if you purchased it or he did), he will also get to assume half the debt aquired during the marriage, if any.
I do have proof that he had an income. He does small construction projects. I have copies of the bid sheets, which he does not know about. He is also trying to collect disability so they pick up the child support bill. He did sign up for public assistance and I am thinking I should call because he has not changed his address. I dont want his irresponsibility to come back on me. I do not have a 401k. He told public assistance he had no income only to have a medical card to go to doctors for bipolar and depression