[Valerie]

My husband and I are currently separated, and we agree that we need to separate our finances.

One source of stress is a credit card that I opened years ago to build air miles (it’s in my name, but he is an authorized user), and he has continuously abused it to the point of thousands and thousands of dollars of debt, in spite of my repeatedly asking him to stop using it and paying almost double the minimum every month trying to get it down… obviously money is one of the issues in our relationship.

I’m done trying to not upset him and will be calling the credit card company to take him off… but since I’ve never done this sort of thingthing I wanted to ask if anyone knows how to transfer credit card debt to someone or what I should look into to sort this out… is that even a thing?

I’ve used the card for a few things that I would have no issue paying off if it weren’t for everything else he puts on there. Or am I screwed?

I’d like to think he’ll be reasonable and work with me on this but I’m not sure that’s realistic. Fortunately I don’t have any other debt besides this.

[Francess]

unfortunately at divorce, his debt is your debt unless he willingly accepts it as his… but the card is yours, right?

he is just a user on the card..

[Nancy]

Whomever opened it, owns it.
Rarely do credit card companies open “joint” accounts. One is the owner and the other is an authorized buyer.

The owner can call and have the authorized buyer removed, but the debt still must be paid- by the owner.

[Cynthia]

Contact an attorney. Usually in a divorce situation there will be some sort of settlement of debt

[Shelley]

The minute you take his name off the card, you are assuming the entire debt!

[Stephanie]

It’s your responsibility if you are the primary card holder and he is an authorized user. Live and learn.

I would remove him so he doesn’t keep racking up the card and contact an attorney.

You might be able to recoup some of the debt in the divorce.

[Tina]

Did he have his own card or did he use your card? If he had his own card the charges will show that he made them.

Use that to make him pay what he charged

[Erin]

If it’s only in your name & he’s only a “user”, then it’s your sole responsibility.

I went through this too!

[Annette]

I think it is going to depend on where you live. It maybe wise to consult a lawyer.

If you are the primary, you maybe responsible for all the debt.

[Veronica]

Oh my. I hope your husband is reasonable. When I left my ex husband we had a similar issue. Everything that we owed (all the credit cards) were in my name and everything we owned (house and cars were in only his name).

This included my van that I made the payment for every month and my seventeen year old daughter’s car that she made the payment for every month. Even though she never wanted to have a payment.

Her first car was totaled in an accident that wasn’t her fault and the insurance payout went to him so he took her money and brought her home a brand new car with a payment. SMH.

Anyways, when I left we lost everything. My dad offered to pay off our house if he would sign it over to me. Nope.

He let the bank take it. He took my van because it was in his name and then he totaled it. Then he took my daughter’s car and it was repossessed.

I had to file bankruptcy due to the credit cards, which made things difficult for a few years. Karma came for him though.

He owed for everything he took. He owed forty thousand because the house didn’t sell for as much as was owed.

Then he wanted me to pay. Nope. They never found my van. They called me for years about it but I wasn’t on the loan.

They called on my daughter’s car for years too. But she wasn’t on her loan either. Hopefully your husband will do the right thing.

I do know if he doesn’t you’re stuck. If that happens then hopefully karma will come for him too!

[Barbara]

If the card is only in your name only you are responsible even if he is a designated user. Divorce could make him liable.

I would just call and cancel the card.

[Dorie]

You are screwed. If you can take his name off, and maybe you can if you added it, then you assume the whole debt.

If you added his name, it may be you can cancel the card and get another with just your name.

If you both applied and own the card equally, you can figure out which charges are his. But it sounds like he wouldn’t own up.

[Katheryn]

I think the debt stays with you
But talk to your divorce lawyer before you do anything.

If there is a way to negotiate or use this against him, the lawyer will know it

[Boni]

You might be screwed. Get a good lawyer. And get a legal separation particularly if he’s not fiscally responsible.

[Nicki]

When I divorced I tried to take my husband off of two credit cards that I had before we married. I was told I’d have to close this accounts and reapply on my own.

I couldn’t do that because my credit score was terrible do to the use of the cards.

I closed the accounts and the divorce decree said we each had to pay half of the debt. It took me 6 years to get a new credit card in just my name.

Luckily I had one that was only in my name so at least I could book hotels, etc.

[Rona]

If he is just an authorized user unless he agrees to pay your basically screwed. He can have himself taken off and leave you with the debt.

If your joint your both technically responsible so they will come after both of you if not paid.

Your still kinda screwed cause if he doesn’t pay it will effect both your credit.

Kind of a no win situation in either case if he doesn’t agree to assume the debt.

[Kari]

You will need to ask for this in the divorce settlement. Your credit care company should be able to separate charges as to which card number was used

[Zayne]

By making him an authorized user, you authorized his use. You’ll be held accountable for the balance as the primary account holder.

[Lynn]

If it’s your account and he’s just an ad on just make it inactive. Then it’s not just your debt when it comes time to make the financial agreement.

[Nancy]

Close the account. If he has been an authorized user and you can prove his charges, he can be held responsible for those charges through divorce court.

[Jennifer]

It doesn’t matter whose name it’s in – in the divorce you will evenly divide assets & debts.

I wouldn’t even bother paying it down right now because if he’s buying things that benefit only himself, then that debt should become his sole responsibility in the divorce instead of being a martial debt that is divided between you

[Dawn]

You are married and it’s both of your debt in the law of the courts . You will need to go get a legal separation and any debt incurred after the date of the legal separation will be separate.

I suggest you do it asap so your not responsible for any debt or credit cards he opens

[Diane]

You both are responsible for the debt unfortunately. You can’t just take a person off of it you have to pay it off and close it

[Author]

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