California is a community property state. Property is categorized as community property, separate property or quasi-community property. Typically, both parties share community property equally while retaining their respective rights to their separate property. Generally all property acquired during marriage by a married person domiciled in California (whether acquired by the husband, the wife, or both) is either community property or separate property. Community property is property acquired during marriage with certain exceptions.

The California Family Code provides as follows:

§ 760. Community property defined

Except as otherwise provided by statute, all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property.