Relationships and Money

[EddieSFL]

My current wife has a lot of medical bills and student loans before I came into the picture.  We are now married.  We do not have any credit cards together and still have seperate bank accounts. 

We were discussing getting a joint account.   She has paid all her current bills and has not been past due for over 2 years.   Its all her old debt that worries me. 

1)  Can they come after me for her old debt?

2) will this hurt my credit if we get a joint checking account, but no joint credit cards?  

I am going to help get those paid off, but she owes a lot. 

Please let me know.   

[GregB]

There are not any simple answers to this and some of it varies a bunch by the laws of your state.

They can come after you for her old debts but not as easily and you might be able to fight it in court. A joint account just makes it that much easier. Individual debts are supposed to stay individual debts but her assets tend to become assets that belong to both of you.

You will probably be safest keeping the finances separate until you get the old stuff paid off. Hard to say if that is worth the effort to do that as not commingling funds would require her bank account to be used for her income, assets and debts only and your bank accounts used only for yours.  

[lashaun3]

My personal experience was similar, ex-husband owed hospital bill from 9yrs prior to our marriage, the 1st and following years filing joint taxes, the hospital garnished a huge portion of our refund for his debt. The 2 bank accounts we had weren't touched, so your results may vary.....just something to think about.

[IOBA]

I agree with other posts - keep EVERYTHING separate for now.  

[thankfulheart]

Medical debt is hers, but I learned that my hubby assumed responsibility on my student debt when we married and he had to start signing off on all of the paperwork as well as including his income for repayment purposes.  I don't know if that's changed, but worth looking into.

I have done a 180 and am now a full proponent of separate accounts.

[EddieSFL]

Who can I reach out to?   Do I contact attorney to find out for sure the laws in Florida? 

Should we not file taxes as married? 

She will not be happy with that, so i would like to speak to a professional, but not sure who.

[beb86]

Went/going through the same situation with my wife.i I added her to my account so we now have a joint account and she was on a payment plan with cap1 and when the law firm "forgot" to renew the PP for the remaining balance the put a hold on our account for the amt remaining. Can the come after you personally? No unless you are a co-signer or have guaranteed credit. If you have a joint account the can come after that. So keep it separate and work on her debt. Her debt is now your debt just not legally.

[beb86]

I also don't see any reason to file separately

[webhopper]

I think a good family attorney or consumer finance attorney may be able to help you.

[wallyworld123]

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EddieSFL wrote:

My current wife has a lot of medical bills and student loans before I came into the picture.  We are now married.  We do not have any credit cards together and still have seperate bank accounts. 

We were discussing getting a joint account.   She has paid all her current bills and has not been past due for over 2 years.   Its all her old debt that worries me. 

1)  Can they come after me for her old debt?

2) will this hurt my credit if we get a joint checking account, but no joint credit cards?  

I am going to help get those paid off, but she owes a lot. 

Please let me know.   

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NO her old debt is just that hers not yours u are not responsible. anything that the 2 of u decide on after the nuptials like joint accounts u will be held responsible. the both of u will.