November 22, 2013. During divorce, the property acquired during marriage and property owned before marriage becomes part of the divisible estate. Iowa law does not automatically set aside or give credit to a party for the assets he or she brought into the marriage.
Court will often treat property brought into the marriage differently, but the court will look at each case individually. Length of marriage significantly affects the division of premarital property. In a short-term marriage, the court will often award the premarital property to the party that brought it into the marriage. In order to protect premarital property, a premarital agreement is recommended. For more information on family law, contact Goosmann Law at info@goosmannlaw.com or call 712.226.4000.