My husband and I have been married for 14 years. In March 2010, he suffered at traumatic brain injury and is now severely disabled living in a nursing home. I serve as his guardian. I am an authorized user on his credit cards. To date, I have been paying them down, but I am concerned that raising two children as a single mother while also trying to keep up with his medical expenses, that may not always be the case. I sold our joint home and purchased a new home recently. All the credit cards were on my credit report. I understand I do not have an obligation to pay, but since I have been doing so for almost two years, am I responsible? How do I get removed as an authorized user since he is unable to conduct business in his behalf? In the event I can no longer meet the minimum payment, I would hate for this negative information to appear on my credit report. Only one of the card has even been used since the accident.
Vanessa
Dear Vanessa,
I’m so sorry to hear about the issues you are facing with your husband. So sad.
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You should be able to contact each of the credit card companies through their customer service line and asked to be removed as an Authorized User. Once that happens the accounts will no longer be updated on your credit report.
Once you do that then you can decide if you want to stop making payments. If you do the accounts will go delinquent and your husband may collectors may send notices and attempt collection.
It might make the most sense to nip all of that in the bud and talk to a local bankruptcy attorney about filing bankruptcy for your husband. It is a logical approach based on his situation.
Whatever you do, do not use those cards anymore.
My advice would be to take this in steps.
- Contact cards and get your name off as authorized user.
- Talk to local bankruptcy attorney. You can click here to find a local bankruptcy attorney you like.
- Discharge your husbands financial liabilities with bankruptcy to close the door on that for good. You’ve got enough other stuff to deal with.
What do you think, does that seem like a reasonable approach?
Please post your responses and follow-up messages to me on this in the comments section below.
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