WILL I KEEP MY SEPARATE PROPERTY?
Oregon divorce courts can divide even separate (non-marital) property as part of an overall division of property. It is unusual for a court to give separate property, such as assets acquired before the marriage, to the other spouse in a property division, but the court is allowed to do so under Oregon law if it is found to be just and proper in all the circumstances. This includes any vehicles, houses, real property, bank or retirement accounts that are listed in only one of your names.
以上是說離婚時的情況。
你意外去世的丈夫的意願顯然是與你共同在這房子裏與你女兒一起生活下去。你們也用了婚後收入償還那7萬元Home equity loan。如果這貸款全部或大部是用於支付你們結婚以及婚後生活,就更有說服力了。
總之,你的情況是matter of equity AND law。不僅是estate law如何繼承(這個比較清楚),還有family law如何界定marital property(關鍵所在)。你應該至少先找個當地處理過類似情況的律師仔細谘詢一下,即使是付費谘詢。