How should you deal with credit card debt in divorce?

On Behalf of | Feb 19, 2018 | Property Division |

If you decide to divorce, it’s only natural to focus your attention on property division. For example, you may have questions about who gets the family house and what happens to your checking and savings accounts.

While property division is important, the same holds true for debt. Many couples find that they need to deal with credit card debt as the divorce process unwinds.

Here are some of the things to keep in mind when dealing with credit card debt in divorce:

  • If possible, do your best to leave your marriage behind without any joint credit card debt
  • Consider if it’s best to pay off the debt together or transfer the debt equally to separate cards
  • Don’t use a joint credit card after you decide to move forward with divorce
  • Keep notes of the expenses you’ve charged to the credit card in the recent past
  • Discuss ways to pay off joint credit cards with your soon-to-be ex-spouse, such as using money in a savings account
  • Learn more about the pros and cons of bankruptcy (if this suits your financial situation)

No two people are in the exact same position, but these are some of the many steps you can take if you have joint credit card debt and are going through the divorce process.

Simply deciding to divorce is one of the most difficult decisions you’ll ever make. When you add challenges associated with debt and property division in general, you never know what will come next. This is why it’s so important to implement a plan as soon as possible.

Source: CreditCards.com, “Dividing credit card debt in divorce,” accessed Feb. 19, 2018