Right off the bat, people going through a divorce are going to start concerning themselves with asset division, child custody rights, and other frequently discussed topics. It makes sense to want to take care of the bigger pictures upfront. It is equally important, however, not to miss the smaller or less common topics, such as your credit score.
Divorces do not directly affect credit scores or credit reports, but you might find that your credit is worse after all is said and done than before. How does this happen?
Oftentimes, divorcing couples will have a joint credit account between them. In order for your divorce to be as final as you want it to be, you are going to have to either shut that account down or take steps to remove your spouse’s name. Both of these procedures do have the potential to negatively affect your score, although it is not guaranteed.
What is a Divorce Decree?
When you are going through a divorce with shared credit accounts, you should eventually come across a divorce decree. This bit of documentation can state who is ultimately responsible for any accounts opened during the marriage. If the person named in the divorce decree cannot or does not fully pay any debts on the shared accounts, the action will hit both spouses in the end, divorced or not. This means that if your ex-spouse is putting off their responsibilities according to a joint credit account, you might need to be concerned.
At Roberts Means Roncevic Kapela LLC, our experienced Indianapolis divorce attorneys can assist you if you are worried about damage to your credit score or credit report during a divorce. We can ensure that appropriate steps are taken to shut down or otherwise manage any joint credit accounts before things get out of hand. Contact us today to request a consultation with our compassionate and talented team.