WIFE ENTITLED TO SHARE OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY WHICH WAS COMMINGLED WITH MARITAL FUNDS, WIFE ALSO ENTITLED TO SHARE OF APPRECIATION OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY.
The Second Department determined plaintiff wife was entitled to a share of husband’s separate property that was commingled with marital funds, as well as a share of the appreciation of husband’s separate property. Husband, a firefighter, received an award from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, which was placed in a joint checking account and then used to buy investment property:
… [S]eparate property that is commingled, for example, in a joint bank account, loses its character of separateness and a presumption arises that each party is entitled to a share of the funds … . “That presumption, however, may be overcome by clear and convincing evidence, either direct or circumstantial, that the account was created only as a matter of convenience” … . The presumption may also be overcome by evidence that the account, although joint, is managed solely by one party … , or that the funds were deposited into the joint account only briefly … . In this case, the Supreme Court correctly determined that by depositing the proceeds of the award into the parties’ joint account, the defendant’s separate property lost its character of separateness and a presumption arose that each party was entitled to a share of the funds, which was not rebutted. …
The record supports the Supreme Court’s determination that the direct and indirect contributions of the plaintiff, as the nontitled spouse, contributed to the appreciation in the value of the defendant’s separate properties. Therefore, the plaintiff was entitled to a share of that appreciation … . Brown v Brown, 2017 NY Slip Op 01175, 2nd Dept 2-15-17
FAMILY LAW (WIFE ENTITLED TO SHARE OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY WHICH WAS COMMINGLED WITH MARITAL FUNDS, WIFE ALSO ENTITLED TO SHARE OF APPRECIATION OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY)/SEPARATE PROPERTY (FAMILY LAW, (WIFE ENTITLED TO SHARE OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY WHICH WAS COMMINGLED WITH MARITAL FUNDS, WIFE ALSO ENTITLED TO SHARE OF APPRECIATION OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY)/MARITAL PROPERTY (WIFE ENTITLED TO SHARE OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY WHICH WAS COMMINGLED WITH MARITAL FUNDS, WIFE ALSO ENTITLED TO SHARE OF APPRECIATION OF HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY)