# Separating credit card accounts



## Left With 4.5 (Aug 4, 2012)

Anyone have any idea on how to have half of my credit card bills sent to my ex?

In the divorce decree, it says he will have half of all of my bills. I'm having problems getting information from the cc companies over the phone. Seems like all of them tell me that it's not done.


----------



## angelpixie (Mar 2, 2012)

Anything i have ever seen says that while the divorce agreement might legally split your debt, the card issuer only cares whose name is on the account. If it's a joint account, you're both legally liable for the debt. If it's your card only, they'll come after you. I don't know if you can legally force him to transfer half of the balance to his own account. You can also ask for a lump sum, but I'm betting he won't or can't go for that. 

We had 3 cards between us: one I had before we got married, one I applied for after we were married, and had him as an authorized user, and one he applied for after we were married, with me as an authorized user. I made a mistake with my first one and made him an equal account holder. That was the only card with a balance on it when we split out debt. 

We took each other's names off of our individual cards while they had a 0 balance, then did a balance transfer of 1/2 the amount on the main card to the other two accounts. I had to close the card I brought into the marriage because of making him co-holder. They would not let me take his name off the account after he transferred out his half. I would have had to reapply for the card again. 

That was the only way we could do it without setting up a payment plan where both of us be paying half a bill every month. I personally didn't want the hassle or liability, as I know how (ir)responsible he always has been with money and paying bills.


----------



## Left With 4.5 (Aug 4, 2012)

I thought about asking for it in a lump sum, but i'm sure he's not going for that. 

Had anyone tried to put all that into a consolidated account but have the bills sent separate? 

Sucks that the court and credit companies don't agree on payment terms.


----------



## HeartbrokenW (Sep 26, 2012)

What we did was remove each other as authorized user on the other's cards. We only had 1 joint acct, and I kept that one. Will be paying it off then cancelling it. He has not worked much over the past 4 months, and hasn't been paying his cards. They haven't come after me yet, but that's my biggest fear. Divorce is finally final.


----------



## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

You can't change the terms under which you obtained the cards. You can ask for the lump sum or half of the monthly payments. Or if there are multiple cards, maybe he's in charge of one, you the other if balances are similar? 

Sometimes property is divided so that, if you are responsible for all of the debt, you get larger portion of assets/savings?


----------



## dubsey (Feb 21, 2013)

angelpixie said:


> We took each other's names off of our individual cards while they had a 0 balance, then did a balance transfer of 1/2 the amount on the main card to the other two accounts. I had to close the card I brought into the marriage because of making him co-holder. They would not let me take his name off the account after he transferred out his half. I would have had to reapply for the card again.
> 
> That was the only way we could do it without setting up a payment plan where both of us be paying half a bill every month. I personally didn't want the hassle or liability, as I know how (ir)responsible he always has been with money and paying bills.


This is pretty much the way it has to be done. It's due to the legal contracts you enter when you open the account. While it makes sense to split the dollars and move it around etc, from a legal standpoint, the company can't make it work and still have legal recourse against the divorcing couple.


----------



## Pbartender (Dec 6, 2012)

Another option might be to get a personal loan from your bank just large enough to pay your half of the credit card balance.

Then, your half of that debt will be separate and in your name, and will likely have a much, much lower interest rate, as well.


Pb.


----------



## Left With 4.5 (Aug 4, 2012)

Pbartender said:


> Another option might be to get a personal loan from your bank just large enough to pay your half of the credit card balance.
> 
> Then, your half of that debt will be separate and in your name, and will likely have a much, much lower interest rate, as well.
> 
> ...


Im actually thinking about doing that.


----------



## angelpixie (Mar 2, 2012)

Pb - If Left does that, and Ex never pays off his half of the balance, can't the company still come after her because her name is on the account?


----------



## Freak On a Leash (Feb 19, 2010)

HeartbrokenW said:


> What we did was remove each other as authorized user on the other's cards. We only had 1 joint acct, and I kept that one. Will be paying it off then cancelling it. He has not worked much over the past 4 months, and hasn't been paying his cards. They haven't come after me yet, but that's my biggest fear. Divorce is finally final.


Were his cards originally in his name only or they were both in your names and he just had you taken off as a user? If they were taken out by him as a separate card chances are they won't come after you, especially know that you are indeed divorced. 

If you are in any way connected then they might. 

When my husband and I separated we had NO joint credit cards. I didn't have any at all and if had CCs I didn't know about them. He went on to get a slew of them (along with a boat loan) while we were living separately. 

When he told me he was out of money and using his credit cards to live off that's was the proverbial straw that made me file and do everything possible to make our divorce happen as quickly as possible. I think he's still paying the minimums on his cards but I don't know how long that will last or if he's stopped so I did everything possible to facilitate our divorce in the fastest way. I filed in January and our divorce is final this Monday...doesn't get much faster than that. :smthumbup:

I don't want any part of his debts. He's not working and even though he's assured me that he wouldn't expect to help him pay any of his debts (how nice of him since now I'm the sole support of our chidren :slap...I don't want to be connected to him in any way legally. We've had separate domiciles and accounts for years so hopefully his creditors don't know or care about me. He has indicated to me that once our divorce is final he is thinking of filing for bankruptcy. 

That's when I'm going to play the Lottery. It would be such sweet karma if I won a couple of million.


----------



## Freak On a Leash (Feb 19, 2010)

angelpixie said:


> Pb - If Left does that, and Ex never pays off his half of the balance, can't the company still come after her because her name is on the account?


That's what I was thinking. They don't care whose "half" it is. If there's a balance on the account and the account is attached to both parties then they will come after both of you. 

Better to pay off the credit card balance entirely with a lower rate loan and cut the credit card company out of the equation entirely. Perhaps you and your ex can come to an agreement of some to split the loan with assets ,support, etc. 

Or he can take out a loan in HIS name, pay off his half and leave you with your half of the credit card bills. At least you will now be able to pay them and know that they are being paid. That would depend on his willingness to do this. 

At the very least, maybe you can "substitute" something else for the credit card payment? I wouldn't like the idea of having to split ANYTHING with my ex in the hopes that he will pay. Too close for comfort. One reason I went for a simple, uncontested divorce was to avoid the scenario of being entangled financially with my ex. 

If the divorce is a done deal it may mean having to go back to court. Depends on how good terms you and your ex are on. Hopefully you can work it out between you.


----------



## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

I can see a few ways to handle this:
1) your ex makes a monthy payment on the account until he's paid his half. The dollar figure of his half is probably stated in the divorce papers, right? So until that amount is paid, he can make monthly payments. You could scan in the bill monthy and email it to him.

2) He gives you cash for his half.

3) He opens a new card and puts half the balance on his new card.

Since this was not settled before the end of the divorce, if he will not cooperate you might need to sue him again.


----------



## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

If you make a good faith effort to get him to comply with the divorce agreement and he will not, then if you have to go back to court to get him to do what he agreed to in the divorce... you can ask the court to have him pay your legal fees. After all you would not need to take him to court if he did what he was supposed to do.


----------



## Freak On a Leash (Feb 19, 2010)

EleGirl said:


> 3) He opens a new card and puts half the balance on his new card.


He could also do that with a lower interest loan in HIS name. But he'd have to be willing to take on a new debt. Then the existing debt would be yours alone and you'd have control of it and will know that it's being paid. 

I'd consider this route as it will cut him out of the process completely. Now that you are divorced any debts he incurs to satisfy his half are his alone. The problem now would be if he's willing to do this or can do it.


----------



## Pbartender (Dec 6, 2012)

angelpixie said:


> Pb - If Left does that, and Ex never pays off his half of the balance, can't the company still come after her because her name is on the account?


Technically yes... There's a certain amount of trust required that he'll keep paying off what's left. I was just addressing the problem of easily splitting the bill halfsies.



EleGirl said:


> I can see a few ways to handle this:
> 1) your ex makes a monthy payment on the account until he's paid his half. The dollar figure of his half is probably stated in the divorce papers, right? So until that amount is paid, he can make monthly payments. You could scan in the bill monthy and email it to him.
> 
> 2) He gives you cash for his half.


Unfortunately, the interest charged on the balance complicates these options... Calculating off half of the balance NOW doesn't take into account the interest earned later, and whoever ends up paying second, pays a larger share because of it.



angelpixie said:


> 3) He opens a new card and puts half the balance on his new card.


Ideally, both of them should do something like this... Each of them gets a loan (or credit card) in their own name, and then each uses that to pay off half the debt and the joint credit card gets cancelled.

The original debt is gone, and is now split into two equal debts that each person is solely responsible for.


Pb.


----------



## Freak On a Leash (Feb 19, 2010)

Pbartender said:


> Each of them gets a loan (or credit card) in their own name, and then each uses that to pay off half the debt and the joint credit card gets cancelled.
> 
> The original debt is gone, and is now split into two equal debts that each person is solely responsible for.
> 
> ...


:iagree: THAT is a good idea, assuming that both of them have good enough credit to do this. Many people are in rough shape financially after a divorce. But if you can do that, it would be the way to go and then you wouldn't have to deal with each other and takes the original creditors out of the mix.


----------



## Left With 4.5 (Aug 4, 2012)

Pbartender said:


> Ideally, both of them should do something like this... Each of them gets a loan (or credit card) in their own name, and then each uses that to pay off half the debt and the joint credit card gets cancelled.
> 
> The original debt is gone, and is now split into two equal debts that each person is solely responsible for.
> 
> ...


This would sound the most ideal. Problem is, most of the cards is under my name. I never worked so he paid all the bills. Now that we are divorced, he agreed to pay half of the cc bills. I just want to make it where I don't have to depend on him every month to make his share of the payment. 

PB-I think with each of us getting our own card or personal loan to pay off the half and being responsible for our own half is the easiest way.


----------



## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

EleGirl said:


> I can see a few ways to handle this:
> 1) your ex makes a monthy payment on the account until he's paid his half. The dollar figure of his half is probably stated in the divorce papers, right? So until that amount is paid, he can make monthly payments. You could scan in the bill monthy and email it to him.
> 
> 2) He gives you cash for his half.
> .





Pbartender said:


> Unfortunately, the interest charged on the balance complicates these options... Calculating off half of the balance NOW doesn't take into account the interest earned later, and whoever ends up paying second, pays a larger share because of it.


#1 is complicated due to interest. But that could be figured out using the monthly statements that list interest paid vs principle. It’s a pain in the arse but do able if he keeps up his end.

#2 is not complicated due to interest because the lump sum he gives can be paid immediately against the principle so there is no interest to consider. This is the best solution if he has the cash.



EleGirl said:


> 3) He opens a new card and puts half the balance on his new card.





Pbartender said:


> Ideally, both of them should do something like this... Each of them gets a loan (or credit card) in their own name, and then each uses that to pay off half the debt and the joint credit card gets cancelled.
> 
> The original debt is gone, and is now split into two equal debts that each person is solely responsible for.


I agree that #3… putting his half on another credit card or getting a loan for the amount is a good solution if he does not have the cash to just pay off his half in a lump some.


----------



## Freak On a Leash (Feb 19, 2010)

Left With 4.5 said:


> I just want to make it where I don't have to depend on him every month to make his share of the payment.


That's the point. If you find a way to pay off the shared debt in a manner where he takes on the debt in HIS name then it's HIS problem, not yours. You won't have to depend on him for anything. It'll be a done deal. Then you can deal with the remainder of debt in your own way. 

But a lot depends on whether he will be cooperative on this. He'll have to go to the trouble of getting a loan or credit card to pay off his half, if he is even able to do so. 

Better than being taken to court over and over again by you if he fails to meet his obligations as per the divorce agreement.


----------

