2nd divorce and what I can expect going forward

[CalRehabber]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA


Hello,

So now I am going through my second divorce (lucky me) and I am just trying to figure out what I can expect going forward.

From my 1st wife:
I currently pay my 1st wife Alimony in the amount of $350 a month for another 3 years
Child support for 1 child (1st wife) $1600 a month which ends in November this year

2nd wife now we were married for 1 year and 4 months before separating
No kids
1 house we were going to flip, we purchased together for $92k which I have been remodeling
2 Rental houses purchased before our marriage with maybe 40k in equity each I bought with my money down (about 40k) and put her name on title thinking she would help me fix and take care of but in actuality I received very little help from her. Her last excuse for not helping me was that she was having tea with her friends.

2nd wife now just served me with a petition for legal separation and assets to be divided by the courts. She hired an attorney, I have an appointment with one Friday.

I am sure we will have to sell the flip house and split the money but I am wondering about the 2 rental houses which were purchased with my money before we were married but I put her name on title.

I have been trying to negotiate with her to buy her out but she doesn't want to resolve it without her attorney.

Thanks all..

 

[ecmst12]

She is smart, you should do the same. If her name is on the title she owns half. If it wasn't, she'd only have a claim to half the equity that accrued during the marriage. So that was silly of you, but too late now.

The good news is alimony is very unlikely for such a short term marriage.

 

[CalRehabber]

She is smart, you should do the same. If her name is on the title she owns half. If it wasn't, she'd only have a claim to half the equity that accrued during the marriage. So that was silly of you, but too late now.

The good news is alimony is very unlikely for such a short term marriage.

Thanks ecmst12

I guess it doesn't always pay to be a nice guy..

I wonder if I can get my Lawyer to argue the point that since it was all my money for the down payments to buy the houses before we got married, it shouldn't be a 50/50 split..

 

[ecmst12]

You can try but it probably won't work, since you basically gifted her a 50% share by putting her on the title.

 

[mtpockets]

Requirements for converting separate propety into community property in California

I did a quick search. This site has an explanation.

http://www.californiamaritalsettlements.com/transmutation-agreement-ca.html

 

[Bali Hai]

She is smart, you should do the same. If her name is on the title she owns half. If it wasn't, she'd only have a claim to half the equity that accrued during the marriage. So that was silly of you, but too late now.

The good news is alimony is very unlikely for such a short term marriage.

I didn't see where OP asked about alimony.

 

[stealth2]

I didn't see where OP asked about alimony.

OP didn't, but did mention he pays SS to wife #1. So I can see that it made sense to let him know it was unlikely for wife #2 to get it, due to the length of the marriage.

 

[Bali Hai]

OP didn't, but did mention he pays SS to wife #1. So I can see that it made sense to let him know it was unlikely for wife #2 to get it, due to the length of the marriage.

I didn't hear a big sigh of relief from OP. I suspect he already knew that. If alimony was likely and OP has the means to pay it, it wouldn't matter if he was paying wife#1 or not.

Telling OP the "good news" is like telling him he was driving at the speed limit and therefore won't be issued a speeding ticket.

 

[ecmst12]

There wasn't any other good news to give him.

 

[Bali Hai]

There wasn't any other good news to give him.

Sure there is other good news for OP. He is about to rid himself of wife#2. The advice; do not seek wife #3.

 

[stealth2]

I didn't hear a big sigh of relief from OP. I suspect he already knew that. If alimony was likely and OP has the means to pay it, it wouldn't matter if he was paying wife#1 or not.

Telling OP the "good news" is like telling him he was driving at the speed limit and therefore won't be issued a speeding ticket.

And what good advice did YOU offer to OP, Bali?

Oh yeah - none. Typical.

Normally, you'd be the first to spew about alimony. What - did ecmst step on your toesie-woesies?

 

[Bali Hai]

And what good advice did YOU offer to OP, Bali?

Oh yeah - none. Typical.

Normally, you'd be the first to spew about alimony. What - did ecmst step on your toesie-woesies?

Do I detect hostility stealth?

Lots of people here attempt to step on my toesie-woesies, but rarely if ever complete that attempt. I don't hold that against them.

OP is advised not to seek wife#3. That's my sound advice.

 

[ecmst12]

Clearly, if you are seeking your 2nd divorce after less than a year and a half of marriage, you are Doing Something Wrong. Which has nothing to do with the institution of marriage itself but with this person's understanding of what it means and what to look for in a spouse. So I would also advise not to get married a third time until he figures out how to do it right.

 

[Bali Hai]

Clearly, if you are seeking your 2nd divorce after less than a year and a half of marriage, you are Doing Something Wrong. Which has nothing to do with the institution of marriage itself but with this person's understanding of what it means and what to look for in a spouse. So I would also advise not to get married a third time until he figures out how to do it right.

To do it right, means not to do it at all.

Besides, it's the wife seeking the separation after making excuses to avoid helping to fix up the properties and not contributing to the financial improvement of the union, but instead attending tea parties.

She got her name on the properties and dumped him. Probably advice given to her by other women at the tea party.

If he does this again, he can expect the same results.

 

[ecmst12]

Perhaps she had perfectly valid reasons for leaving him. Maybe he cheated. Who knows, certainly not you. Maybe the problem was with his choice of woman and maybe the problem was with his treatment of said woman. I do know some people who have/had successful 3rd marriages after messing up the first 2, but OP would need to figure out what he's doing wrong before taking that step.