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Current as of January 01, 2022 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
(a) A community property agreement must be contained in a written document signed by both spouses and classify some or all of the property of the spouses as community property. It is enforceable without consideration.
(b) A community property agreement must contain the following language in capital letters at the beginning of the agreement:
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE VERY EXTENSIVE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, YOUR RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO CREDITORS AND OTHER THIRD PARTIES, AND YOUR RIGHTS WITH YOUR SPOUSE BOTH DURING THE COURSE OF YOUR MARRIAGE AND AT THE TIME OF A DIVORCE. ACCORDINGLY, THIS AGREEMENT SHOULD ONLY BE SIGNED AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT, YOU SHOULD SEEK COMPETENT ADVICE.
(c) A community property agreement may not adversely affect the right of a child to support.
(d) Except as provided in AS 34.77.020, 34.77.070(h), 34.77.080(b), and in (c) of this section, in a community property agreement, spouses may agree
(1) on the rights and obligations in the property, notwithstanding when and where the property is acquired and located;
(2) on the management and control of their property;
(3) on the disposition of their property on dissolution, death, or the occurrence or nonoccurrence of another event;
(4) on making a will, trust, or other arrangement to carry out the agreement;
(5) that, upon the death of either of them, any of their property, including after-acquired property, passes without probate to a designated person, trust, or other entity by nontestamentary disposition;
(6) on the choice of law governing the interpretation of the agreement; and
(7) on any other matter that affects their property and does not violate public policy or a statute imposing a criminal penalty.
(e) A community property agreement may not be amended or revoked unless the agreement itself provides for amendment or revocation, or unless the agreement is amended or revoked by a later community property agreement. To amend or revoke the agreement, the later community property agreement is not required to declare any property of the spouses as community property. The amended agreement or the revocation is enforceable without consideration. However, notwithstanding the other provisions of this subsection, unless the community property agreement expressly provides otherwise, if a community property agreement provides for the nontestamentary disposition of property without probate, at any time after the death of the first spouse the surviving spouse may amend the community property agreement with regard to the surviving spouse's property to be disposed of at the surviving spouse's death. In this subsection, “surviving spouse's property” means the property that consists of the surviving spouse's separate property and the surviving spouse's share of the community property determined as of the date of the first spouse's death.
(f) Persons intending to marry each other may enter into a community property agreement as if married, but the agreement does not become effective until the persons are married.
(g) A community property agreement executed during marriage is not enforceable if the spouse against whom enforcement is sought proves that
(1) the agreement was unconscionable when made;
(2) the spouse against whom enforcement is sought did not execute the agreement voluntarily; or
(3) before execution of the agreement, the spouse against whom enforcement is sought
(A) was not given a fair and reasonable disclosure of the property and financial obligations of the other spouse;
(B) did not voluntarily sign a written consent expressly waiving the right to disclosure of the property and financial obligations of the other spouse beyond the disclosure provided; and
(C) did not have notice of the property or financial obligations of the other spouse.
(h) A community property agreement executed before marriage is not enforceable if the spouse against whom enforcement is sought proves that
(1) the spouse against whom enforcement is sought did not execute the agreement voluntarily; or
(2) the agreement was unconscionable when made and, before execution of the agreement, the spouse against whom enforcement is sought
(A) was not given a fair and reasonable disclosure of the property and financial obligations of the other spouse;
(B) did not voluntarily sign a written consent expressly waiving the right to disclosure of the property and financial obligations of the other spouse beyond the disclosure provided; and
(C) did not have notice of the property or financial obligations of the other spouse.
(i) Whether or not a community property agreement is unconscionable is determined by a court as a matter of law.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Alaska Statutes Title 34. Property § 34.77.090. Community property agreement - last updated January 01, 2022 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-34-property/ak-st-sect-34-77-090.html
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.
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