Secret Credit Card Debt: Am I Responsible in Divorce? Artwork

Love Court Off the Record

In the podcast, Love Court Off The Record, we look at specific legal questions regarding all family law matters. From child custody to child support to divorce. We also take a humorous look at divorce. It does make people go crazy!!

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Love Court Off the Record

Secret Credit Card Debt: Am I Responsible in Divorce?

April 27, 2026 • Anderson Keuscher Brachmann

0:00 | 2:47

“I just found out my spouse opened a credit card behind my back and ran up almost $15,000 in charges. We’re now divorcing, and he says because we were married when he made the charges, I’m on the hook for half. Am I legally responsible for that debt even though I didn’t know about it?"

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In this episode of Love Court, divorce attorney Jessica Anderson addresses a listener’s concern about hidden debt during a marriage. After discovering that their spouse secretly opened a credit card and accumulated nearly $15,000 in charges, the listener is now being told they are responsible for half of the balance because the debt was incurred during the marriage.

Jessica explains how courts typically evaluate marital debt, including whether both spouses benefited from the charges, when the debt was incurred, and whether one spouse acted irresponsibly or without the other’s knowledge. She also discusses how judges may divide financial obligations in divorce and when a spouse might be able to argue that certain debts should not be shared equally.