How Does the Law Treat Gifts in a Divorce

Gifts are frequently made between couples during the course of their marriage, whether that is spouse to spouse or otherwise.

Occasionally, parents will provide gifts or loans to the married couple for a variety of reasons, but most commonly for a deposit on the marital home.

Other gifts may include engagement rings, cars, jewellery, and so on.

In this article, we’ll look at what the law says about gifts in the event of a divorce or separation.

What is considered a gift in regards to divorce or separation?

When it comes to agreeing to a divorce financial settlement, there are likely to be various types of gifts that you’ll need to consider as part of the ‘matrimonial pot’, such as;

• Gifts between spouses – over the course of their marriage, husband and wife will often have bought each other many different gifts. Some of these gifts can be substantial in terms of their monetary value, such as an engagement ring and other expensive jewellery, cars and property.
• Gifts from third parties – this is most common in terms of the parents of either spouse buying gifts, either solely for their own child or joint gifts for the couple. Typically this will involve contributing to a deposit for the marital home.
• Inheritances – although slightly different from gifts, inherited assets will also commonly be shared between the spouses.
• Loans – instead of giving money to the couple, parents will sometimes offer informal loans which may eventually end up becoming gifts.

Are gifts and loans considered marital property by the court?

Gifts between spouses

As a general rule, any assets that are acquired during the course of the marriage are added to the overall matrimonial pot.

This means that gifts between spouses will generally be considered matrimonial property.

Even a gift that was given by one divorcing party to the other before they were married (eg an engagement ring) can end up forming part of the matrimonial pot, especially in a long marriage.

Gifts from third parties (eg parents)

Gifts from parents and others, to an individual spouse, will typically become matrimonial property in England and Wales.

The situation is different in Scotland, where gifts from a third party will not be considered matrimonial property.

Gifts that are intended to be made to the married couple jointly will generally be considered matrimonial property across the UK.

Gifts and inheritance in a divorce

In terms of gifts and inheritance in divorce, this will often depend on the particular situation.

Any assets that have been inherited by either husband or wife are often treated differently from other assets in the context of divorce.

If money is inherited by either husband or wife during the marriage, whether or not it will be added to the matrimonial pot will depend upon several factors, including the length of the marriage and whether or not it was used as part of shared finances.

When is a loan considered a gift?

Formal loans, as opposed to gifts hidden as loans, are less likely to be added to the matrimonial pot. But determining just when is a loan considered a gift when received from a parent can be tricky.

This is why it is important to ensure that there is a formal loan agreement or at least some documentation that proves it is indeed a loan.

Are gifts usually included in divorce settlements?

Relevant gifts will be added to the overall matrimonial pot, which is then divided equally upon divorce.

The value of certain gifts will need to be taken into consideration to ensure a fair financial agreement can be made; this may include having certain items valued.

Although each divorce will have its own specific set of circumstances, and the court may decide that one party is entitled to a larger share depending on their individual needs, there is an assumption of a 50:50 split when dividing assets in a divorce.

Protecting gifts and loans from the family in a divorce

A prenuptial agreement (prenup) can help to protect gifts received before marriage.

A prenup is essentially a contract, entered into before marriage, which sets out how the assets of each party should be divided up in the event of a divorce.

If the couple is already married or wants to protect gifts received after marriage, they can instead make a postnuptial agreement.

In terms of loans from parents or other third parties, one way to prevent these from being classed as gifts (and therefore matrimonial assets) is to ensure that a formal loan agreement is in place.

Also, gifts that are only intended for one spouse can potentially be kept out of the financial settlement if the marriage is short and the gift is kept totally separate from any matrimonial finances.

Can my ex-partner claim against any gifts I’ve received?

In England and Wales, an ex-spouse may potentially be able to make claims against any gifts or inheritances received by their ex-partner, even many years after the divorce.

One way to help prevent claims on future gifts is to obtain a clean break consent order from the court.