When you have decided to divorce your spouse because of their gambling addiction, you have to be prepared. There are complications that come with divorcing someone who has an addiction, and there could also be financial issues to worry about as a result of their actions. You need to protect yourself. A Shelby County, Tennessee divorce lawyer can help you get organized and argue for a fair divorce agreement that won’t force you to pay for your spouse’s sins.
Do I Have to Worry About My Spouse’s Gambling Debts?
This is one of the major questions that people in your situation tend to have. A divorce is expensive, moving on with your life after a divorce is expensive, and then you have to worry about your spouse’s debts on top of that? This can make it seem like this entire situation is going to be impossible to get out of.
Fortunately, the court should see your side of things. Our lawyers can argue that you had no role in driving up these gambling debts. You should not have to pay them. In most cases, a judge will agree with this. Your spouse has mishandled marital assets and they should be the one to be assigned the entire debt.
Will My Spouse’s Gambling Affect Property Distribution?
Your spouse’s gambling can also affect how property is distributed. If they have wasted a substantial amount of marital assets due to their gambling addiction, that could be factored in when marital property is distributed. For example, if you had a joint bank account and your spouse drained most of it due to their addiction, they would be unlikely to get half of the remaining money during the divorce proceedings. Instead, you could expect the court to reward most if not all of the money in the account to the responsible spouse who did not gamble their family’s money away.
What Should I Do Before Filing For Divorce?
Before you file for divorce, it is a good idea to get organized. You should:
- Gather up statements from any accounts you and your spouse have
- Gather any other finance-related documents, like tax returns or insurance policies
- Take account of the household finances and any debts not related to gambling
- Run your own credit report and look for signs of trouble
Sometimes, people with a gambling addiction can take out loans or start lines of credit in their spouse’s name. You will want to make sure that your spouse did not do this to you.
Talk to Our Legal Team
So when you are ready to get a divorce and rebuild your financial life, contact Rice Law. We can schedule an initial consultation and tell you more about how we can be of assistance in this difficult time. We can also answer any questions that you may have.
