When you get divorced in Massachusetts, your credit score may be at risk. Some people have reported a drop of up to 50 points in their credit score in the wake of a divorce. While ending a marriage is not the sole reason for the drop in credit, the choices that you make at that time can impact your score. Your score is even more vital since you may be relying on your credit to start again in life.
Order a credit report and review
You can keep your credit score from falling after a divorce by being proactive. The first thing to do is to undertake a review of your own credit and check which accounts are linked to your own credit. Try to differentiate between your own personal accounts and the joint accounts that you share. It is the joint accounts that you need to focus on in the divorce.
Separate accounts and freeze credit
Once you know the accounts that you are dealing with, you will want to separate the joint accounts quickly. This will keep the other spouse from being able to run up debt in your name. Then, you will want to reach out to your creditors to alert them of your change in status. If you do not pay off the account completely, you could transfer the balance. In the meantime, you should try to freeze your credit so your spouse cannot do any damage to it.
When a couple has debt together, there are usually necessary provisions in the divorce agreement that will address who is responsible for the debt and how it gets paid. A family law attorney could help you negotiate the divorce agreement in a way that may keep you from being responsible for a disproportionate share of the debt. The amount of debt could impact how the marital estate is divided between you and the other spouse.