When going through a divorce, each party may be considering what property or belongings they feel entitled to when the process is complete. While there are some states that allow for completely equal division of property, divorcing couples in Colorado will face equitable distribution. If you are considering a divorce, it may be in your best interest to seek legal counsel in order to better understand divorce laws in your area and reach a settlement that best suits your needs.

Colorado’s Equitable Distribution Law

In the state of Colorado, it is not automatically assumed that marital property is owned by both parties or that it will be divided equally in the event of a divorce. Instead, Colorado divorces follow the rules of equitable distribution. This means that marital property will be distributed in an equitable manner. Equitable distribution often grants the higher-earning spouse a larger portion of the assets in a divorce settlement.

There are many factors involved when a court is responsible for determining this type of property distribution. A judge will consider the economic situation of each spouse following the property division, the unique value of the property to each spouse and the contribution each spouse made to acquire the marital property. The contributions set forth by each party will also include the efforts made by a spouse as a homemaker.