Dealing With Debt From Divorce

Full Video Transcript

Divorce and separation are two of the biggest reasons for debt problems. Many individuals do not realize they may be held financially responsible for their former spouse’s debs following a divorce, even if it was not a joint account. In a community property state, such as California, a spouse may be held liable for the other spouses debt incurred during marriage, even if their name was not on the account. Creditors are not bound by a divorce decree. Your best bet is to assure that a provision is set forth in your divorce decree to indemnify you if your spouse defaults on an account. In relation to maintaining your good credit, you should close all joint accounts prior to the divorce if possible. If it is not possible to close them due to an outstanding balance, at least speak to the creditor about freezing the account. If you do not have established credit in your name only, it is a good idea to open an individual account before the divorce is finalized.