Which of the following is an example of separate property?

Separate property refers to assets that are owned by one spouse individually, and one clear example of this is property owned before the marriage. This type of property remains under the sole ownership of that spouse regardless of the marriage, and it is not subject to division during a divorce.

The rationale behind this classification hinges on the idea that any property brought into the marriage by one spouse remains that spouse's individual asset unless there is a change in its status, such as through conversion to marital property or commingling with marital assets.

In contrast, property acquired during the marriage is typically deemed marital property, as is property purchased with joint funds, which directly links it to both spouses. While property favored in a divorce decree may refer to specific assets awarded to one spouse, that can also imply shared or joint attributes depending on the circumstances surrounding its designation. Therefore, recognizing property owned before the marriage as separate property helps clarify and uphold an individual's pre-marital financial investments in the event of divorce.