Legal Question in Family Law in Michigan
legal separation
My Husband is an Alcholic, and after almost 30 yrs of marriage he quit work and has no plans to go back. After trying to support us for over a year, and with the debts piling up because of my low income ($9.00 compared to the $25.00 an hour that he was making) I left the marriage, now my husband has maxed out credit cards and applied for and recieved several more with no way to pay for them and no plans to do so either. Am I responsible for this debt, and if so how can I get control of this so that it does not continue? Please Help! --name removed--
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: legal separation
If the cards are in your husband's name only, only your husband is responsible to the credit card companies. If you are a joint account holder, you are equally responsible. If you are only an authorized user, you may be responsible only for the purchases you made if the credit card company can determine if and where you used the cards.
However, if there is a divorce proceeding, you may be held responsible for paying back some portion of the debt. This is usually negotiated or it may be decided by the judge.
Good luck and feel free to contact me for assistance.
Re: legal separation
You may have some responsibility for cards used for family purposes, like buying foods. However, to the credit card companies, you will be 100% responsible if your name was on the card. You may have a claim against your husband but it sounds like collecting may be difficult. Why are you writing on the web. See a lawyer! William S. Stern
Re: legal separation
You need to move quickly to protect yourself. Your attorney will know how to help you protect yourself. If you don't already have an experienced and aggressive attorney, FIND ONE NOW!