Can Divorce Hurt Your Credit?

A divorce can stress out the couple that is involved in it.   There are various items to think about, including how your family will react, what social life will be like, and how you’ll manage without a second income. But many individuals never really think about their credit. But it is something that you might wish to look at, as you and your soon-to-be-ex may have invested in various things together.

People will say that divorce will not affect your credit. While filing for divorce will not make your credit number change, impacts from the divorce may.  If you own a joint account with your spouse, such as a debit card or checking account, there are different things o think about. You’ll both have access to these, and are allowed to withdraw from them. The bank will not just assume that it will be only one of yours. If you desire this to be changed, you’ll be required to notify the institution. After the separation, you should close that account and open a different one in your name only.

Joint accounts will still be on your credit report. You might assume that your ex will pay for items they were mandated in the divorce decree. If your ex does not pay, the creditors can go after you for nonpayment. It’s best to have your name removed from these accounts or close all joint accounts.

There are five items that your credit number is dependent on. Payment history accounts for 35 percent, while amounts owed account for 30 percent. This is followed by credit history length at 15 percent, then credit mix and new credit, which are both at 10 percent.

Perhaps you have had perfect credit and have been able to pay all your bills on time. However, with a reduction in income, it could be hard for you to make payments. This may affect your credit number. You might desire to form a budget and keep tabs on every penny spent.

It may also be harder for you to receive new credit. If you included your ex’s income when applying for credit before, but are now not able to, the amounts could differ greatly. It can also be difficult to get credit just by yourself.

Another thing that many individuals see when they divorce is a spouse that sabotages. It is not unusual to have an ex-spouse that will hide assets they have so they are not split accordingly.  These individuals could also lie about who made the debt. And many have tried to make the other pay for the legal charges during a divorce proceeding. While all spouses are not like this, if the divorce is ugly, chances are this might occur.

You’ll likewise want to do whatever you can to look after your existing credit. Not only will you want to close any joint accounts with your ex, but you should likewise take into consideration that they could become spiteful. Should they become this way, consider freezing your credit so new credit can not be opened by them. If you do not want to freeze your credit, you will want to keep a watchful eye on your credit report.

If your credit has been affected by divorce, you could benefit from speaking to someone at Super Credit Repair in Pinellas County, FL.  They will be able to assist you in rebuilding your credit the correct way.

Picture Credit: Freepik