What does it mean to buy your spouse out of the house?

What does it mean to buy your spouse out of the house?

One way that divorcing spouses deal with the family home is for one spouse to "buyout" the other's interest. The buying spouse either pays money to the selling spouse—usually by refinancing the house and taking out a new mortgage loan—or gives up other marital property worth about as much as the selling spouse's share.

What happens when you divorce and you own a home together?

When the court grants a divorce, property will be divided equitably (not always equally) between the two spouses. This is decided under the Equitable Distribution Law. During the divorce both spouses have to tell the court about their income and any debts they owe.

Do I have to give my wife half the house?

All property of the husband and wife is considered “marital property.” This means that even property brought into the marriage by one person becomes marital property that will be split in half in a divorce. However, the court does not have to give each spouse one half of the property.