Your wife's portion of the house is community property, unless your wife used separate property funds (such as inheritance or premarital savings) to purchase the property and make the payments, or if you entered into a transmutation agreement (the agreement would use those words). If she used her savings that came from her earnings during the marriage, and makes the payment using her earnings, then it is presumed to be community property. Your name on title is not needed. Your mother in law's interest would remain hers. The court can hold a hearing to determine their ownership shares.
Answered on May 31st, 2013 at 1:30 AM