Those of us who pay our bills on time often give little thought to our credit rating. However, if you’re been married for a long time and your credit rating is tied to that of your spouse, this is something that could be a problem.
When you get a divorce, it’s essential to know what your credit rating is. For many women who have been married for many years, their credit rating may be based solely on their husband’s income and history of payments on debts. One wealth advisor notes than many older women have never even had a credit card in their own name.
One credit expert advises women to establish some type of credit in their own name while they are married. Even if they make a small purchase on a credit card several times a year, that’s enough to keep a credit card active.
If you don’t have credit in your own name during your marriage, you may be able to establish it during your divorce based on your spouse’s income and credit history. Your family law attorney can advise you about steps that you can take to establish credit in your own name. It may be easier to do it while you’re still married than to try to do it for the first time after you are divorced, when you may not have the income necessary to establish credit in your own name.
When you divorce, you will likely need to rent an apartment or home, buy a car and/or get some type of credit for the first time. That’s why it’s essential to establish some credit in your own name and to know what your credit score is if it’s tied to your spouse’s. Your family law attorney can advise you on these issues.
Source: Bankrate.com, “Building your credit before, during and after divorce,” Marcie Geffner, accessed Sep. 24, 2015
