Opinion ID: 1815729
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Expenses Associated With Marital Residence

Text: In its Memorandum Decision dated April 22, 1985, the trial court found the following: Six hundred dollars ($600) of the proceeds of the sale of the [farm]land was deducted from the sale for taxes which more properly should have been paid by plaintiff since she received the rents and profits from the land prior to its sale and defendant should be given credit for that amount. In the second amended judgment, the trial court ordered Bonnie to be held solely responsible for the real property taxes, insurance, and upkeep on the Watertown house. Although Bonnie and John will share equally in the proceeds from the sale of this residence in 1990, the record indicates that Bonnie currently rents out the house and is the sole recipient of the rents and profits which it generates. According to 20 Am.Jur.2d Cotenancy and Joint Ownership §§ 60 and 62 (1965), an exception to the general rule of contribution from co-tenants for expenses such as taxes and upkeep, is when the co-tenant is out of possession and receives no benefits from the property. The trial court found that John received no income from the farmland pending its sale, nor does he presently receive any rents or profits arising from the rental of the Watertown house. Thus, we affirm the trial court's judgment ordering Bonnie to be charged with the $600 in real estate taxes, and to be held solely responsible for the taxes, insurance, and upkeep of the Watertown residence. []