Moiety is the portion that each spouse is entitled to from the assets that make up the couple's estate.
In practice, this means that if we add up the meações of each member of the couple, the result will be the total of the joint estate (real estate, vehicles, among others).
In marital regimes where there are common assets (community of acquired assets, general community, and atypical regimes), the meação of the couple’s assets applies, meaning each member has the right to 50% of the collective estate, as the law establishes that spouses contribute equally.
This means that the members of the couple do not have rights over each individual common asset, but rather a right to half of the total assets that make up the common estate.
What is the difference between a "meeiro" and an heir?
When dealing with an inheritance, it is important to distinguish between a "meeiro" and an heir. A "meeiro" is the spouse married under a regime that grants them the right to half of the couple's estate. No other family member can be considered a "meeiro."
An heir is someone legally recognized as having a right to the inheritance in full or in a portion of the deceased's estate, such as the deceased’s spouse and children.
