Generally, the community (the estates of a marriage) is liable for a debt incurred by either spouse before or during marriage, regardless of which spouse has management and control of the property and regardless of weather one or both spouses are parties to the debtor or to a judgment for the debt.

The separate property of a married person is not liable for a debt incurred by the person’s spouse before or during marriage, except for necessities of life.

There is one major exception to these rules:  Community property earning are not liable for the premarital debts of the nondebtor spouse if they are kept segregated.

On dissolution, when the spouse divide their community and quasi-community property, property received by one of the spouse is not liable for the debts incurred by the other or during marriage unless the debt was assigned to the spouse.