- You can’t be ‘credited’ for debts you helped her pay off during the marriage. I guess they’re considered a gift.
- If you sold ‘your’ house during the marriage, and bought another house together, then you can’t get credit for the first house. You and your wife will own this house together along with it’s debt and it’s equity.
- As far as bank accounts (or other accounts)go, pull a credit report. It will show all accounts placed with her SSN. I did this when I first got separated and MAN did I get a wake up call. I found lots of accounts I didn’t know about and mysterious PO boxes for ‘last known addresses’(that’s how he diverted the bills). Not to say your wife will be that way, but for the 15.00 or so dollars, it pays.
The issues you raised can be considered distributional factors by the court and may justify an unequal distribution in your favor. However, because these events occurred many years ago, the court may not give them much weight.
P.S. Please feel free to bring up this or any other topic on our live call-in show every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. EST. Visit radio.rosen.com for details
Helena M. Nevicosi
Attorney with Rosen Law Firm
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My wife of 15 years and I are separating. I owned our first home before we were married, and she brought quite a bit of debt with her into the marriage.
Am I entitled to anything for her debts that I helped pay off?
Am I entitled to anything for being the sole owner of our first home? Keep in mind that we sold that home and now own another house (not a home[V]).
Is there any way I can find out if she has any bank accounts I don’t know about? I doubt that she does, but one never knows. I asked her if she did, and she told me that she did not have any accounts I didn’t know of.
Thank You.