2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations › Chapter 766 - Property rights of married persons; marital property. › 766.587 - Statutory individual property classification agreement.

766.587
Statutory individual property classification agreement.
(1)
Generally.
(a)
Spouses may execute a statutory individual property classification agreement under this section to classify all the property of the spouses, including property presently owned and property acquired in the future but before the agreement terminates, as the individual property of the owner. Ownership of the property of the spouses is determined as if it were December 31, 1985. Except as provided in this section, s. 766.58 applies to an agreement under this section. Persons intending to marry each other may execute an agreement as if married, but the agreement becomes effective only upon their marriage. The form of the agreement is set forth in sub. (7).
(b)
If, while an agreement is in effect, spouses acquire property as a joint tenancy exclusively between themselves or as survivorship marital property, the property is classified as the individual property of the owners and is owned as a joint tenancy. If, while an agreement is in effect, spouses acquire property held in a form as provided under s. 766.60 (1) or (2), the property is classified as the individual property of the owners and is owned as a tenancy in common.
(2)
Execution. An agreement under this section is executed when signed by both spouses.
(3)
Effective period.
(a)
An agreement under this section may be executed on or after January 1, 1986. If executed before January 1, 1986, it is effective on January 1, 1986, or upon the marriage of the parties, whichever is later. If executed on or after January 1, 1986, it is effective when executed or upon the marriage of the parties, whichever is later.
(b)
An agreement under this section terminates on January 1, 1987. Termination does not affect the classification of property acquired before termination. Property acquired after termination is classified as provided under this chapter.
(4)
Enforceability. An agreement under this section is enforceable without the disclosure of a spouse's property or financial obligations to the other spouse.
(5)
Effect on support and at divorce. An agreement under this section does not affect the duty of support that spouses have to each other or the determination of property division under s. 767.61 or of maintenance payments under s. 767.56.
(6)
Rights of surviving spouse. Notwithstanding the fact that an agreement under this section is in effect at, or has terminated before, the death of a spouse who is a party to the agreement, the surviving spouse may elect under s. 861.02. For the purpose of the election, in addition to the property described in s. 851.055, property acquired during marriage and after the determination date which would have been marital property but for the agreement is deferred marital property.
(7)
Statutory individual property classification agreement form. The following is the form for a statutory individual property classification agreement under this section:
NOTICE TO PERSONS WHO SIGN THIS AGREEMENT:
1. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 1986, A NEW PROPERTY LAW, KNOWN AS THE MARITAL PROPERTY SYSTEM, GOVERNS THE PROPERTY RIGHTS OF MARRIED PERSONS IN WISCONSIN. UNDER THE MARITAL PROPERTY SYSTEM, EACH SPOUSE HAS A 50% OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN PROPERTY ACQUIRED DURING MARRIAGE DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF EITHER OR BOTH SPOUSES, SUCH AS WAGES, DEFERRED EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, LIFE INSURANCE, INCOME FROM PROPERTY AND CERTAIN APPRECIATION OF PROPERTY. BY ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, YOU HAVE AGREED TO RELINQUISH YOUR RIGHTS TO AN AUTOMATIC OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN SUCH PROPERTY ACQUIRED DURING 1986.
2. CLASSIFICATION BY THIS AGREEMENT OF YOUR AND YOUR SPOUSE'S PROPERTY AS THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OF THE OWNER MAY AFFECT YOUR ACCESS TO CREDIT, THE ACCUMULATION OF AND THE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF PROPERTY BY YOU DURING YOUR MARRIAGE AND THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY YOU HAVE TO DISPOSE OF AT YOUR DEATH.
3. THIS AGREEMENT TERMINATES ON JANUARY 1, 1987. IF YOU WISH TO CHANGE THIS AGREEMENT BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1987, OR IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE TO CLASSIFY YOUR PROPERTY AS PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT AFTER IT TERMINATES ON JANUARY 1, 1987, YOU MAY DO SO BY EXECUTING A NEW MARITAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT THAT COMPLIES WITH SECTION 766.58, WISCONSIN STATUTES.
4. THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT AFFECT RIGHTS AT DIVORCE.
5. IN GENERAL, THIS AGREEMENT IS NOT BINDING ON CREDITORS UNLESS THE CREDITOR IS FURNISHED A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT BEFORE CREDIT IS EXTENDED. IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES OTHER THAN CREDITORS MIGHT NOT BE BOUND BY THIS AGREEMENT UNLESS THEY HAVE ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT.
6. THIS AGREEMENT MAY AFFECT YOUR TAXES.
7. THIS AGREEMENT MAY AFFECT ANY PREVIOUS MARRIAGE AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BY YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE.
8. THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT ALTER THE LEGAL DUTY OF SUPPORT THAT SPOUSES HAVE TO EACH OTHER OR THAT A SPOUSE HAS TO HIS OR HER CHILDREN.
9. BOTH SPOUSES MUST SIGN THIS AGREEMENT. IF SIGNED BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1986, IT IS EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1, 1986, OR THE DATE THE PARTIES MARRY, WHICHEVER IS LATER. IF SIGNED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1986, IT IS EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE SIGNED OR THE DATE THE PARTIES MARRY, WHICHEVER IS LATER.
STATUTORY INDIVIDUAL
PROPERTY CLASSIFICATION AGREEMENT
(Pursuant to Section 766.587, Wisconsin Statutes)
This agreement is made and entered into by .... and ...., (husband and wife) (who intend to marry) (strike one).
The parties to this agreement agree to classify all their property, including property owned by them now and property acquired before January 1, 1987, as the individual property of the owning spouse, and agree that ownership of their property shall be determined as if it were December 31, 1985.
This agreement terminates on January 1, 1987.
Signature .... Date ....
Print Name
Here: ....
Address: ....
Signature .... Date ....
Print Name
Here: ....
Address: ....
[Note: Each spouse should retain a copy of the agreement for himself or herself.]
(8)
Other means of classification. This section is not the exclusive means by which spouses may, before January 1, 1987, classify their property as the individual property of the owner.
History:  1985 a. 37; 1987 a. 393 s. 53; 1997 a. 188; 2005 a. 443 s. 265; 2017 a. 365 s. 111