Can I keep a monetary gift to me from becoming marital property?
My wife and I are having marital problems and while we are working on the relationship, I have doubt whether we’ll stay married. My aunt is not in good health and wants to give me money and two parcels of property now, rather than waiting to leave it to me when she passes. I did some research and know that Texas is a community property state. I’m concerned that if my aunt gives me the gift now, while my wife and I are still married and living together, it will become joint property and my wife will get part of it if we divorce. What needs to be done to make sure that anything my aunt gives me remains my separate property? Should she just leave it to me in her Will to make sure it goes only to me?