Money in Joint Acct

[adman1437]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Massachusetts
I established a joint checking account with my ex-fiance when I moved into her place. I would pay her $900 directly to cover household expenses (rent, food, ultilities). I would then put an additional $500 into the joint checking account. The plans for that money was to get married or use it for large household expenses (furnace). Since we split I took that money and now she wants half. Is she entitled to any of it?

 

[FarmerJ]

If you removed the 500.00 then I would suggest she must be able to prove she was entitled to have it. If you removed the rent money that you put into it she could perhaps sue you using landlord and tenant law in your state to claim that a months rent was due. BTW have steps been taken to close the joint acct ?

 

[adman1437]

This was not the rent money at all. That was paid directly to her in form of a bank check. I did however tell her I would give her some of this other money in an email. Now I am having second thoughts. She gained much more monitarily from the relationship than I did. Do you think the law would say I now have to give her what I told her I would?

 

[LdiJ]

This was not the rent money at all. That was paid directly to her in form of a bank check. I did however tell her I would give her some of this other money in an email. Now I am having second thoughts. She gained much more monitarily from the relationship than I did. Do you think the law would say I now have to give her what I told her I would?

So, you are saying that absolutely none of the money in the account came from her?

 

[adman1437]

Correct - all the money in the joint account was directly deposited from my paycheck on a monthly basis. It was intended to be used jointly when we were a couple to be married.

 

[JETX]

Is she entitled to any of it?

And now..... for something new.... a legally ACCURATE answer!!!

No one can answer your question without a complete 'audit' of all of your expenses and the 'income' from each person. This is one of the many problems that arise when two separate people (not married) decide to 'play house' and co-mingle their assets.

She could claim that she paid for furniture that you had agreed to pay. You can claim that you paid for insurance that she had agreed to pay. And so on, and so on, ad nauseum.

Since this is a joint account, EACH of you had equal rights to the money in the account, no matter what the stated purpose or source. Simply, whoever got it first, gets the funds. Only a court can (if they want) decide who had the right to how much in the account. Anything other than a court order is simply 'warm air'.