Section 40-3-8 - Classes of property. - New Mexico Statutes

40-3-8. Classes of property.

A.     "Separate property" means:   

(1)     property acquired by either spouse before marriage or after entry of a decree of dissolution of marriage;   

(2)     property acquired after entry of a decree entered pursuant to Section 40-4-3 NMSA 1978, unless the decree provides otherwise;   

(3)     property designated as separate property by a judgment or decree of any court having jurisdiction;   

(4)     property acquired by either spouse by gift, bequest, devise or descent; and   

(5)     property designated as separate property by a written agreement between the spouses, including a deed or other written agreement concerning property held by the spouses as joint tenants or tenants in common in which the property is designated as separate property.   

B.     Except as provided in Subsection C of this section, "community property" means property acquired by either or both spouses during marriage which is not separate property. Property acquired by a husband and wife by an instrument in writing whether as tenants in common or as joint tenants or otherwise shall be presumed to be held as community property unless such property is separate property within the meaning of Subsection A of this section.   

C.     "Quasi-community property" means all real or personal property, except separate property as defined in Subsection A of this section, wherever situated, heretofore or hereafter acquired in any of the following ways:   

(1)     by either spouse while domiciled elsewhere which would have been community property if the spouse who  acquired the property had been domiciled in this state at the time of its acquisition; or   

(2)     in exchange for real or personal property, wherever situated, which would have been community property if the spouse who acquired the property so exchanged had been domiciled in this state at the time of its acquisition.   

D.     For purposes of division of property incident to a dissolution of marriage or a legal separation under Section 40-4-3 NMSA 1978, quasi-community property shall be treated as community property, if both parties are domiciliaries of New Mexico at the time of the dissolution or legal separation proceeding.   

E.     "Property" includes the rents, issues and profits thereof.   

F.     The right to hold property as joint tenants or as tenants in common and the legal incidents of so holding, including but not limited to the incident of the right of survivorship of joint tenancy, are not altered by the Community Property Act of 1973 [40-3-6 NMSA 1978], except as provided in Sections 40-3-10, 40-3-11 and 40-3-13 NMSA 1978.   

G.     The provisions of the 1984 amendments to this section shall not affect the right of any creditor, which right accrued prior to the effective date of those amendments.