All property and all debts acquired during your marriage are considered marital property. When you divorce, the property and the debt must be divided. This does not mean that it is divided equally. In DC, an equitable division is made.
Many factors are looked at in determining how to divide your property and your debt fairly and equitably.
Some of the factors that are considered are: the length of your marriage; your age; occupation; amount and sources of your income; your ability to find a job; the contribution made by one of you to help educate or help develop the career of the other one; whether you or your spouse interrupted your career to stay at home to take care of your children, etc.
It is important to make a list of all of your assets and all of your debt to show to your divorce attorney. It is also important to know whether the asset or debt was brought to the marriage or whether it accumulated during the marriage.