Matrimonial property regime: what is the community of furniture and property acquired?

Verified 27 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The community of furniture and acquisitions is a matrimonial regime.

The rules differ depending on whether the marriage takes place since the 1ster February 1966 or earlier.

Here we deal with the applicable rules since 1er February 1966.

Please note

If you married without a marriage contract before the 1ster in february 1966, you are married under the community of furniture and acquired property regime, provided that you have not opted for another regime during your marriage.

The regime of the community of furniture and accruals applies to you if you complete the 2 following conditions :

  • You were married after January 31, 1966
  • You signed a marriage contract (before or after marriage) by choosing this plan.

FYI  

If you are married without a marriage contract after January 31, 1966, you automatically community scheme reduced to accruals.

The rules vary depending on whether your property is furniture or real estate.

Movable property

Your movable property belongs to all 2 of you, regardless of their date and means of acquisition.

This is the case for those you have acquired before your wedding.

It's also the case for those you have acquired by inheritance or gift (unless the testator or donor).

Income is a common good.

However, certain elements constitute own property, including the following:

  • Personal clothing
  • Certain claims and pensions, such as maintenance or invalidity pensions
  • Compensation for bodily injury or moral injury suffered by a spouse
  • Certain professional property necessary for the activity of one of the spouses.

Earnings and wages

Each of you 2 manages and disposes of his earnings and wages alone.

This rule applies regardless of the matrimonial regime spouses, provided that each person pays his or her share of the marriage expenses,

If you are married without a contract, your earnings and wages are considered common property.

Property acquired with earnings and wages is common, as is money saved by a spouse.

This rule can have consequences, for example in the event of separation or if a spouse wants to give away property without the consent of his spouse.

Real estate

The real estate owned by each of you before the wedding remain the personal property of the spouse concerned.

Real estate acquired during the wedding are common.

However, real estate received by inheritance or gift during the marriage remains the personal property of the spouse concerned (unless the testator or donor).

If one of these assets is sold to repurchase another asset, it remains the personal property of the spouse concerned.

Marriage ceases in the following cases:

Assets are shared according to the rules of your matrimonial property regime.

We're talking about the liquidation of the matrimonial property regime.

Everyone gets his own property and his share of the common property.

FYI  

In the event of your spouse's death, you are entitled to a portion of his or her property. Your share of the estate depends in particular on any arrangements made by the deceased (will) and the presence or absence of children (born of your couple or another union).

A spouse may be deprived of the benefits of the matrimonial property regime if he has been convicted of certain serious acts.

A husband is automatically disqualified the benefits of the matrimonial property regime if it has been convicted (as perpetrator or accomplice) for any of the following acts:

  • Voluntarily giving or attempting to give death to her husband
  • Willfully committing violence that resulted in the death of her husband without intent to give it away.

The husband may also be disgraced benefits related to his or her matrimonial property regime if convicted for any of the following:

  • Torture, barbaric acts, intentional violence, rape or sexual assault against her husband
  • False testimony against her husband in criminal proceedings
  • Voluntary failure to prevent a crime or offense against the bodily integrity of her deceased spouse
  • Slanderous denunciation against her husband concerning criminal acts.

FYI  

The forfeiture must be pronounced by the court.

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