If you live in one of nine community property states, any debt (or assets) your spouse acquires while you’re married are considered joint property. The Tampa Bay Times e-Newspaper is a digital replica ...

No one wants to be on the receiving end of a call from a debt collection agent. Or to get a text message that sounds more like a threat, or an unexpected visit to one’s home or office. Especially when ...

If you’re a joint cardholder on a credit card account or you’ve co-signed for a credit card with your spouse, then you’d be liable for any debt incurred with the card. If your spouse is the sole ...

A legal separation stops you from sharing responsibility for new debt your husband takes out in his name, though physical estrangement doesn’t automatically do so. The Tampa Bay Times e-Newspaper is a ...

Jane from California recently found herself in a situation many married couples may never expect to face: being responsible for her husband's credit card debt. On a recent episode of Suze Orman's ...

Money and marriage don’t always go hand-in-hand. According to a Fidelity survey, managing finances was cited as the biggest relationship challenge, with nearly half (45%) of those surveyed admitting ...

Many couples are well aware of how their assets will be split if they divorce, but few are prepared for how their liabilities (i.e., debt) will be handled. Debt in a divorce can have long-lasting ...

Debt collectors may pressure surviving spouses to pay debts they are not legally responsible for. It is important to understand which debts transfer to a surviving spouse, as laws vary by state.

The death of a spouse can be devastating, and in the aftermath, calls from collection agencies about medical bills and other debts could not come at a worse time. But surviving spouses may not be ...

I'm considering marriage in the mid-60s. Even with a prenup and separate finances, I'm concerned about the possibility of a long-term illness and the potential for medical debt to be required to be ...

Divorce can be a challenging and emotional process, especially when it comes to distributing financial assets and responsibilities. In Indiana, debt acquired during the marriage is generally ...

My husband has lots of credit card debt…too much. (My name is NOT on any of his credit cards.) He’s 60 years old, and if he were to die tomorrow, would I be responsible? We own our home jointly ...