So I Get This Phone Call Today

Your credit is already trashed at this point. I see this happen all the time during divorces.

 

It just seems reasonable that after a divorce that a joint account would become null and void.

 

If you'd notified them, they probably would have cancelled it.

 

I hadn`t gave Kohl`s a single thought or even knew(remembered) it was a joint account. The divorce was in 2000 and the account was opened in 1998.
Shit, I can barely remember what I did last week.

 

How does this effect his rating, unless he doesn't pay it?

Digit, how can you avoid getting a trashed rating if you don't pay it?

 

Jazz, I don`t even know if being dead would make any difference now.

 

dig, did you actually sign on the account or were you just placed as a user. You are only responsible if you signed for the account. So, I would verify that and just because they report it on your credit report doesn't necessarily mean you signed for it (this is why debt doesn't pass on from parents to kids when the parents die because the kids didn't sign for the debt - even if they were users of the cards). Put a dispute in with the Credit Bureaus to get them to validate that you actually signed up for the account. For example, my parents put me as a user on one of their accounts a long time ago. I couldn't be held responsible for the debt though because I didn't actually sign for the debt (nor could I as I was a minor).

If you did sign for it, offer them something small (100 or 200) and offer them her current phone number, address, or something if they will give you your offer in writing. Course, I wouldn't give them any information until I received that offer in writing. Remember, debt collectors aren't your friend but they will harass the heck out of you. Better to get them out of your life so they won't be aggravating you over her money.

This is where divorces are done so badly so many times. Just because you get divorced, it doesn't dissolve the agreements you had with credit companies. You signed for it, you still owe it regardless of the status of your marriage. If you listen to Dave Ramsey for a week, you will hear 2 or 3 of these types of calls happen. Even worse when a house is involved and the person keeping the house didn't refinance it out of the other's name and then stops paying. Destroys both of their credit.

 

The account was opened in 1998 and I can`t remember the details. I don`t know if I signed it or was just added as a user. I think finding out would probably mean me contacting them and I really don`t want to contact them. I guess I`ll just weather this, because I`m not going to pay any money on this thing.

 

You can dispute it at the Credit Bureau as being reported incorrectly and Kohl's will have to verify the account to them.

 

I got one going at Equifax.