Divorce but assets in her name

[TainanTom]

I am a Canadian, 3 years on a work visa, who has been married to a Taiwanese for almost a year. We actually have a very nice loving relationship, but she is extremely adamant about a divorce for the sole reason that she just doesn't want to be married and wants to be alone. She's very independent.

The issue is money. Basically, I'm going to leave Taiwan afterwards and need to make sure I won't be screwed and I don't want to screw her. We have a home. Instead of buying a new place, we ended up moving into a place her uncle owns and we spent a lot of money on a big remodel and decorating it. Lots of my money and now it's really nice with expensive furniture, appliances, and electronics. I was under the impression it was a wedding gift, but no name transfer. She has a Mercedes which we bought while engaged. Her name but I paid too. We have a business, both our names are on the rent contract for the space but we don't have a business license. I paid for that with my money but after marriage. We are selling the business now but for peanuts compared to what was paid, we did make money with it. I'm going to leave expensive gifts and personal items out of this, jewelry, watches, etc. Also, we are now living by paycheck because of all this investment in our future but we are living very comfortablely with no problems.

We don't meet any official grounds for a contested divorce. We want to have an easy divorce but money is going to be a problem. She mentioned the house isn't ours and the car is hers. Money earned is probably 60% /40% in her favor but she said she can only offer me maybe 5% of the assets worth. What are my options?

[Battery9]

OH my word, sounds like a nightmare. I don't have any legal advice, but good luck. And, if she's being this way, start changing your mind about the 'nice loving relationship'. That's not love.

[trubadour]

find a decent lawyer
sounds like you are about to get royally screwed.


If it were me, I'd insist that everything is sold and everything is split equally..

[tomthorne]

Isn't the best solution to refuse to agree to a divorce until she signs papers splitting as much as you can 50:50? Even then I'm not sure how much you'll actually get. As suggested, proper legal advice seems to be the first port of call.

[Mr He]

Isn't the best solution to refuse to agree to a divorce until she signs papers splitting as much as you can 50:50? Even then I'm not sure how much you'll actually get. As suggested, proper legal advice seems to be the first port of call.

Yes. Do not sign anything. Ask for all your money back.

[Feiren]

You should own 50% of what was earned through work or your business during marriage.

You need to talk to a lawyer if there is more than say NT$1 million or so involved. Otherwise just don't sign the agreement until you have reached some kind of deal. Make sure you understand what the agreement says and have a lawyer review it.

[El Toro]

OH my word, sounds like a nightmare. I don't have any legal advice, but good luck. And, if she's being this way, start changing your mind about the 'nice loving relationship'. That's not love.

Yup!

[sandman]

Keep those loving thoughts at the forefront of your mind. Because she is aiming to take EVERYTHING. At the very least, make sure you can get your plane ticket and enough cash to get you started when you leave, because you WILL be leaving with nothing but a suitcase, by the sounds of things.

[Belgian Pie]

Don't know your 'wife's' character but don't sign a thing before you get what you want or you're screwed ...

[tsukinodeynatsu]

Time to see what you can squirrel away and/or sell, I think...

See what you can liquidate and put it in an overseas account. Don't know if you can open Canadian ones from overseas but I know for a fact that you can open Australian ones.

If you don't meet the grounds for a contested divorce, and she wants a divorce, then the power's in your hands really. Talk to an attorney. Refuse to sign until you've got a fair deal out of it - you'll only sign if she gives you however much money. Unfortunately, it sounds like you were being taken for a ride there.

All the best.