You stop by the house to pick up your mail and notice an overdue utility bill on the counter. “I don’t live here anymore,” you think, “so why should I care?”
You get a phone call notifying you that your spouse hasn’t paid on a joint credit card. “It’s not my problem anymore,” you say. “We’re getting a divorce.”
Unfortunately, if your name is still on the account, the creditors won’t care if you’re getting a divorce or whether it was you or your spouse who racked up the debt. All they care about is getting their money—from anyone whose name is on the account.
In divorce proceedings, the two sides must negotiate not only their assets but also their debts. Unless you have an excellent Silver Spring divorce attorney to fight for your rights, you might end up paying more than your fair share on debts you and your spouse have accumulated together, such as:
- The mortgage on your house
- Car loans for a vehicle you and your spouse bought together
- School loans on which you were your spouse’s co-signer
- Major credit cards that you opened jointly
- Department store credit cards that name both you and your spouse
Even if your spouse is the primary person on these accounts, as a co-signer you will be on the hook to pay any bills that your spouse fails to pay. Your own credit very well could be damaged by your spouse’s failure to pay on his or her school loans or credit cards for which you co-signed.
Even if money is tight, it might be to your benefit to hire a skilled Maryland divorce attorney who can make sure your financial future is protected after a divorce. For more information on how we can help make your new beginning even better, call Nickelsporn and Lundin at 1-800-875-9700.