The question of who gets to keep the engagement ring when the relationship ends is one that I often get from clients.\u00a0 Depending on the facts, my answer is sure to disappoint one party.\u00a0 In New Jersey, an engagement ring is considered a conditional gift.\u00a0 That is, it is a gift given conditioned upon the realization of a specific event.\u00a0 In this context, the event is the marriage.\u00a0 Simply put, if the engagement ends without the marriage taking place the condition has not been satisfied and\u00a0the ring is to be returned to the giver.\u00a0 This is true regardless of which party calls off the engagement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The outcome is completely different once the marriage has taken place.\u00a0 Now, the condition has been satisfied and the engagement ring is now the property of the recipient.\u00a0 Should the marriage end in divorce, the recipient would be entitled to keep the engagement ring.<\/p>\n
Disputes over the engagement ring most frequently arise in a divorce when the engagement ring was a family heirloom.\u00a0 While using a family treasure as an engagement ring is a romantic gesture, it can lead to problems down the road.\u00a0 If you are using such a ring, you must be prepared for it to leave your family in the event of a divorce.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The question of who gets to keep the engagement ring when the relationship ends is one that I often get from clients.\u00a0 Depending on the facts, my answer is sure to disappoint one party.\u00a0 In New Jersey, an engagement ring … Continue reading