Changes

Community property is the law in southwestern and western states where there was an historic Spanish ([[Catholic]]) influence, including:  [[Arizona]], [[California]], [[Idaho]], [[Louisiana]], [[Nevada]], [[New Mexico]], [[Texas]], and [[Washington]].  The territory of [[Puerto Rico]] also developed community property laws.  [[Wisconsin]] has recently adopted the community property laws unrelated to Spanish influence.

Community property is the law in southwestern and western states where there was an historic Spanish ([[Catholic]]) influence, including:  [[Arizona]], [[California]], [[Idaho]], [[Louisiana]], [[Nevada]], [[New Mexico]], [[Texas]], and [[Washington]].  The territory of [[Puerto Rico]] also developed community property laws.  [[Wisconsin]] has recently adopted the community property laws unrelated to Spanish influence.

For most of the history of the [[United States]], married couples in "community property" states enjoyed a federal tax benefit by being able to split their income 50/50 despite one spouse (usually the husband) earning most or all of the income.  In 1946, the Republican Congress passed a nationawide federal tax benefit for the joint filing of tax returns, which allowed all married couples to attain the same tax benefit, including those married couples living in states that do not have community property laws.  

For most of the history of the [[United States]], married couples in "community property" states enjoyed a federal tax benefit by being able to split their income 50/50 despite one spouse (usually the husband) earning most or all of the income.  In 1946, the Republican Congress passed a nationwide federal tax benefit for the joint filing of tax returns, which allowed all married couples to attain the same tax benefit, including those married couples living in states that do not have community property laws.  

[[Category:law]]

[[Category:law]]