How do I get a score up with my mess???

[Anonymous]

For starters, I will NEVER EVER EVER joint purchase anything again.  My ex husband didn't refinance our home equity mortgage when he got the house.  Our credit was great.  Now, as he and his pregnant gf live in the house, my name is attached to the home equity loan he isn't paying.  The house is going into foreclosure and from what I understand, there basically is NOTHING I can do about it to keep foreclosure off of my credit.  I have some cc's and a pers. loan.  I have enough to pay off  one loan and a cc.  I am paying more than the min payment and everything I have in my name other than the home equity loan is in good standing.  Is it better for my credit to keep making payments or pay off what I can?

[ngerasimatos]

Cant you take his sorry a$$ to small claims court?

[Anonymous]

Lucy-  I would recommend you pay off what you can.  The less creditors that get caught up in this situation, the better off you will be.  I am sorry to hear that you are in this mess.

[Anonymous]

Well, he should be going to jail for 90 days for not paying the home equity.  But that does nothing to fix my credit and it means I won't get child support for our 3 boys while he is in jail.  So, either he gets off scott free and my credit is all messed up OR he goes to jail and I don't get the only thing he actually does pay while my credit is still ruined.  Rip off, huh?

[ngerasimatos]

Jesus, I dont even no what to say. He sounds like a real winner.

[Anonymous]

Not many have answers for my situation.  LOL  It just makes me so mad b/c he used to be so responsible.  It never crossed my mind that he wouldn't pay the for the house.  Our credit used to be great when we were married.  I am not sure what came over him, but it bites that I can't move forward in my life by buying a home or anything b/c of his irresponisibilty.  And there are just no answers to help my credit.  He left 2.5 yrs ago and I could be tangled up in his mess for years to come with the housing market the way it is.  He maxed out the home equity as soon as he got the house and now refuses to pay for it.

[dragnldy]

  At least your ex was responsible while you were married.  Wish I could say the same.  He's the reason I got stuck with almost $20,000 debt.  My lawyer stated that from the time you separate, that then your expenses are separated as well.  I would take your ex to small claims since he did not remove your name from the loan after the divorce and anything that was racked up after you separated should be his responsibility alone.

[Anonymous]

But what would I get in small claims court?  He doesn't have the money to pay it off.  There is nothing to get and I learned the quick way that a joint loan and a marriage/divorce are two separate legal contracts, which means b/c the divorce doesn't make me not responsible for the loan, even if a judge rules that he is soley responsible for payments.  Doesn't keep the collectors from calling me. 

[dragnldy]

It may not get you the money right away, and, yes, the creditors still consider you liable, but you do get the judgement listed on his report, plus you may be able to collect for the judgement at a later time.  And if you get the judgement, you can send that to the creditors to get your name off the account and shouldn't be held liable for anything after the separation date.

Message Edited by dragnldy on 03-14-2008 10:31 AM