Loans and Divorce
After our divorce, my ex didn't pay our car loan. Am I responsible?
My husband and I are separated. His car loan was under both our names. I assumed all bills but that one and have paid all consistently (with no more than 1-2 week late once in a while). He did not pay the car loan and car was repossessed. Approx. $3000 is unpaid. Am I held responsible for that?
The short answer is that you will likely have to seek legal counsel from an attorney in your area regarding loans and divorce. It is likely that you will have to pursue this account through a legal process, to force your husband to pay the debt. If you were a joint-borrower on the original account, the creditor will most likely pursue you and your husband to collect on the debt.
Creditors will not accept a divorce settlement as legally binding upon them, and they will pursue the co-signatories if the primary borrower defaults.
To read a longer, more detailed discussion of these issues, see the Bills.com resource Divorce Debt.
Debt statistics
Mortgages, credit cards, student loans, personal loans, and auto loans are common types of debts. According to the NY Federal Reserve total household debt as of Q4 2023 was $17.503 trillion. Housing debt totaled $12.612 trillion and non-housing debt was $4.891 trillion.
According to data gathered by Urban.org from a sample of credit reports, about 26% of people in the US have some kind of debt in collections. The median debt in collections is $1,739. Student loans and auto loans are common types of debt. Of people holding student debt, approximately 8% had student loans in collections. The national Auto/Retail debt delinquency rate was 4%.
Collection and delinquency rates vary by state. For example, in Maryland, 16% have student loan debt. Of those holding student loan debt, 8% are in default. Auto/retail loan delinquency rate is 4%.
While many households can comfortably pay off their debt, it is clear that many people are struggling with debt. Make sure that you analyze your situation and find the best debt payoff solutions to match your situation.
