Colorado is a separate property state not a community property state. Colorado law provides that marital property shall be allocated “equitably” between the parties. This often results in marital property being equally divided between the parties but not in all cases. Colorado sets apart separate property to each respective party which can include property owned prior to the marriage and property acquired by gift, bequest, devise or descent. Components of separate property still can be deemed marital property such as the amount that property has increased in value during the marriage.