[quote=“ironlady”]The OP is Taiwanese. She is now in the US. I am assuming (perhaps wrongly, though) that she left Taiwan and immigrated to the US because of her husband. She would have left behind job opportunities, social support networks, and all sorts of things to do this.
She was placed in a country where she was not fully fluent in the language (judging from the post style). That impacts her job opportunities and earning potential negatively. Her husband, on the other hand, was a lawyer, and presumably proceeded ahead with his career path, saving money as he went along.
And it would also be worth asking who worked while he was in law school, to keep food on the table?
None of this sounds like a “significant sacrifice” to you? Sheesh.
She is simply asking if there is a reasonable way to divide the marital assets.
I sincerely hope she got a green card or hopefully a US passport out of this mess.[/quote]Iron Lady, as always, you bring up excellent counter arguments and extremely valid points of support. However, if we change the parties of the story to an American man moving to Taiwan to be with his Taiwanese wife with the man making all the sacrifices of moving to a foreign country, leaving his established support networks behind, not being fluent in the Chinese or Minnan languages, impacts on job opportunities and and negative earning potential, we would still have the same situation. A looming divorce with the Taiwanese woman believing that she is owed a certain amount of money by the husband. Why? Why is that? Why is it never the Taiwanese woman owing the man for his sacrifices? The OP most assuredly has benefited through the marriage by getting at least a US Green Card with the available path to citizenship without the need give up her Taiwanese citizenship, something an American man can never acquire simply by marrying a Taiwanese. Upon divorce, the Taiwan green card (JFRV ARC) is invalid, and there is no path to citizenship without first renouncing US citizenship.
As you, T.C., Tomthorne, and H.G.C. have indicated, I, to, believe in an equitable divsion of marital assets (income and assets acquired during marriage only) upon divorce. But, I don’t believe the OP is simply asking about a reasonable way to divide them, else she wouldn’t have added her little zinger, “[color=#FF0000]Of course he wanted to pay as less as he can.” [/color] Which brings me back to the original issue I had with the OP’s OP. Why should either of the partners need to “pay”? If they can’t come to an agreement on their own as to the division of their assets, then they should each get a lawyer to represent their own interests and allow a judge to decide. The reason a judge is needed is because one of the partners in the relationship has a different idea as to what is fair and equitable. Since the OP has no idea of what kind of savings or assets they have, she should get an attorney to represent her so they she can take her husband to the cleaners and take him for every penny she can get her hands on. After all, he owes her, right?
:bravo: