Men and women must say what their marital status is when they fill in forms. Married people who are married in community of property have joint administration of the things the couple owns. To protect each spouse, the other partner’s written permission is necessary for big things like buying or selling a house, signing credit agreements, and withdrawing money from accounts in the other spouse’s name. In a marriage out of community of property, the husband controls his own separate estate and the wife controls hers. (See The rules of civil marriage)