I'm not a lawyer, either, but I do know that community property laws are different from state to state; sometimes there's a certain amount of time that you must be married before 50/50 kicks in, but it can begin from day 1 depending on where you are. The state I live in is an "equitable-settlement" state. This means that a reasonable division of property must be agreed upon. I'd take Katie's advice, though, and seek out a good lawyer! And remember -- "good" doesn't always mean "OMG expensive". Good luck!