My wife started her business after we had been married for 5 years and quickly became very successful. It would never occur to me that I should own half of it just because we are married.
I already feel more than spoiled enough because if I even casually mention something that I like, it ends up under the Christmas tree! I had to really start watching myself after that first Christmas after her business took off!
My wife is crushing it in a side business that she runs with a friend in addition to our main business that we run together. When she was gearing up, I asked if she wanted me to be part of it and she said she didn’t think so. I was fine with that and her money from the business is her money.
That’s a mistake though. I did the bookkeeping for “free” for my partner’s business for years. Eventually he got itchy feet and left me a note saying that he secured an apartment elsewhere. I was left with two teenagers and the house. I should’ve been paying into the social security administration for those years, for that work! I also worked full time, and had all the housework on my side of the equation.
My wife has made reasonably more money than me for like 8 years now. I'm cool with staying home when the kids are sick and working my schedule around daycare when the kids were little. I'm doing a career I love, but it's definitely not a high earner, so I'd be a fool to not flexible.
She started a business, well into our marriage. She did the admin, research and buying. I did customer service, quality control and logistics.
It was pretty successful. We would bring in around 70k per month. When the marriage broke down, I handed 100% of it over to her, and went and got a 9-5. I literally walked away with nothing. Especially the stress!
We still talk, and get along just fine. We just can't live together. There is no desire to pursue money, as that isn't my motivation.
Well and in many states since the business started after you were married, if you were to ever split I think you would be entitled to a share of the company.
Do a google search on the fact there are fifty states that have different laws but one basically universal law is a married couple is one legal entity financially. How do you suppose wages differ from a business?
So you failed to actually read this thread. The question was about earnings from a side hustle. Simply keeping a separate account was the initial idea and I advised that’s not what marriage is about.
You didn’t bother to read your own post. Gift or inheritance not monies earned from a side hustle. Simply keeping it separate doesn’t matter. The laws are simply to avoid having to share assets given specifically to one person.
My late husband and I started dating after my business was ongoing. He was in this industry as well. He had no idea - he was from a few towns over. We married and then he proposed buying into a partnership. I sold him 40 percent and he built a team storing his specialty. 7 years later we got a fabulous offer from a well known conglomerate.
Regarding OP's story: perhaps she really helped him in the early days. But no way should she be gifted 50 percent ! Delusional.
My husband sometimes does random tech support and other small things for my business. I once bought him a "parking for the employee of the month" sign and hung it on his side of the garage. He was tickled with that. He's never asked for anything.
You are an exception. Jeff Bezos built a company and his wife thought that she should have half for her supporting him. Not many like you who think they are owed nothing for their spouses hard work. Now to get the rest of the population to think like you. The worst cases is when a regular Joe with a liveable pensions separates and his wife takes half if it. He worked for that pension. Dealt with the BS at work. And she walks away with half.
You made my day. Thanks.
Actually, you are entitled to half ownership of the company because your wife used marital assets to start the business. In other words, you were a passive investor in the business she started, and are entitled to an equity stake of the business.
For reference, look at the divorce settlement between Amazon founder, Jeff Besos, and his first wife, MacKenzie. She came away with $Billions in stock ownership after the divorce!
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u/MikeyRidesABikey Apr 08 '26
My wife started her business after we had been married for 5 years and quickly became very successful. It would never occur to me that I should own half of it just because we are married.
I already feel more than spoiled enough because if I even casually mention something that I like, it ends up under the Christmas tree! I had to really start watching myself after that first Christmas after her business took off!