Opinion ID: 1251349
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Gift Component

Text: Our Court of Appeals has held that if inherited property, nonmarital at the time of its acquisition, is utilized by the parties in support of the marriage, it is transmuted into marital property. See Hussey v. Hussey , 280 S.C. 418, 312 S.E. (2d) 267 (Ct. App. 1984); Cooksey v. Cooksey , 280 S.C. 347, 312 S.E. (2d) 581 (Ct. App. 1984). We hold that the same rule applies to property acquired by gift. See also Barr v. Barr , 282 S.C. 362, 336 S.E. (2d) 481 (Ct. App. 1985). Transmutation may occur when the property becomes so commingled as to be untraceable; is utilized by the parties in support of the marriage; or is titled jointly or otherwise utilized in such a manner as to evidence an intent by the parties to make it marital property. Hussey, supra , 280 S.C. at 423, 312 S.E. (2d) at 270-271. Here, the gift to Husband was commingled with marital property and utilized without reservation in support of the marriage. We hold that the gift component of the interest in the home, originally nonmarital in character, was transmuted into marital property.