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In an episode of the Podcast Women & Money by Suze Orman, Jane de California wrote in the show to choose Orman d’Orman on the debt of her husband’s credit card.
His question for the guru of personal finances: “If something should happen to my husband, am I responsible for his credit card debt?”
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Jane added that her name is not linked to anything related to her husband’s credit card. However, Orman and his co -host, KT Travis, quickly stressed that this was not relevant anyway – because Jane lived in a state of community.
“You will probably be held responsible for the credit card debt of your husband who was contracted during the wedding,” said Orman. Here’s what it means for Jane.
Essentially, your spouse’s debts are also your debts.
In community ownership states, all assets and debts that are taken care of during your marriage (with a few exceptions) are considered as also belonging to the two spouses. In case of divorce, everything that is accumulated during marriage is divided 50/50.
It does not matter which is the name of the assets or debt since the legal union links the two individuals. Thus, all the financial assets that enter marriage are generally considered as community goods.
If Jane’s husband has contracted debts Before Marriage or after a legal separation (like divorce), Jane would be won because, as Orman pointed out: “They are considered her Debts and you would not be responsible for them unless you specifically accept to take these debts. »»
Although the majority of US states do not have community goods laws, these laws are currently applied in nine states, including Arizona, California and Texas. That being said, it is possible to deactivate yourself if you sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage.
Whether you want to merge or divide your finances with your spouse, you can get ahead of the game by talking to a financial advisor to guide you in the right measures. This is particularly important if you have a property together or if one of you has a large wallet.
If you are looking for financial advice, Advisor.com connects you to fiduciary financial advisers in Vetted near you. All you have to do is answer a few simple questions about your finances, and Adivsor.com suits you a short list of certified experts from which choose.
You can then organize a launch meeting without obligation to hire.
Read more: Do you want an additional $ 1,300,000 to your retirement? Dave Ramsey says that this plan in 7 steps “ works each time ” to kill debt, become rich in America – and that “anyone” can do it
In the unfortunate case you are stuck with your spouse’s debts, there are certain things you can do to help your financial situation.
Start by reviewing your finances and create a spreadsheet which includes any other personal debt in progress and an estimate of your monthly expenses. Aggressively budgeting or debt consolidation is a possible option.
For example, credit card interest rates tend to be quite high, but consolidating debt with a personal loan, you may be able to obtain much lower interest rates. In this way, you can manage payments more effectively and prevent debt from making even more ball.
In the end, make sure you and your spouse are in good financial situation before saying: “I do it”.
Another way to consolidate your debt is to draw on your home equity through a line of capital on equity (heloc).
A heloc is a secure line of credit that operates your home as a guarantee. Depending on the value of your home and the balance remaining on your mortgage, you may be able to borrow funds at a lower interest rate from a lender as a form of renewable credit.
Rather than juggle several invoices with due dates and variable interest rates, you can consolidate them in a single easy -to -manage payment. The results? Less stress, generally reduced the costs and potential for significant savings over time.
Jane can also compensate for part of the debt with savings on which to fall back.
It is important for anyone – whatever the matrimonial state – to save money in an emergency or in this case, debts from a spouse.
One way to strengthen your savings is with a high interest savings account.
You can easily compare several online banks offering high -efficiency savings accounts with 4% or more in the annual interest in a few minutes. Many options now offer $ 0 of monthly costs and do not require a minimum balance to win their high APY.
Whether you or other members of your family have tried, the financial security guarantee is guaranteed by life insurance can mitigate the financial impact of the loss of a loved one.
By opting for long-term life insurance via ethics, you can make sure that your family will be taken care of when you are no longer there.
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This article only provides information and should not be interpreted as advice. It is provided without guarantee of any kind.