What could be an approximate outcome of a couple's financial division
of essets between a husband and wife? Married 26 years ago. The couple
is living apart for 18 years. The wife resides in the family home and
raised two children of theirs, now they are grown up. Husband
controlls all of the financies.

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Request for Question Clarification by serenata-ga on 05 Mar 2003 10:08 PST

It would help to know what state ... not all states have community
property laws.

Other variables are did they have understandings/agreements regarding
property (after all, they've lived apart for 18 years), etc.

As it stands, the "easy" answer would be that if it's a community 
property state, and absent other understandings and agreements, assets
would be split 50-50, that would include the value of the equity in
the family residence, interests in retirement accounts, etc.

It often happens in cases of divorce that one spouse or the other will
attempt to hide some assets so as not to have to "share" them, so you
really need to provide more information to get a better answer.

Yours,
Serenata