Ready to say goodbye to student loan debt for good? Learn More
X
2020 Best Invention

Will filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy affect my spouse?

1 minute read Upsolve is a nonprofit tool that helps you file bankruptcy for free. Think TurboTax for bankruptcy. Get free education, customer support, and community. Featured in Forbes 4x and funded by institutions like Harvard University so we'll never ask you for a credit card. Explore our free tool


In a Nutshell

If you’re filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and your spouse is not, you may be wondering whether they are going to be affected. The short answer is that if your debts are separate, their credit will not be impacted.

Written by Attorney Eva Bacevice
Updated October 2, 2021


If you’re filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and your spouse is not, you may be wondering whether they are going to be affected. The short answer is that if your debts are separate, their credit will not be impacted.

What if I share debts with my spouse?

If you and your spouse are on a shared account, then only your obligation to pay the debts is erased. Creditors will still be able to come after your spouse for the debts. Your bankruptcy may also show up on your spouse’s credit report, although it should not affect your spouse’s credit score as long as they remain current with all the payments.

Upsolve User Experiences

2,441+ Members Online
Bobby Messano
Bobby Messano
★★★★★ 7 hours ago
An absolutely FANTASTIC non profit.
Read more Google reviews ⇾
Tiffany Sanders
Tiffany Sanders
★★★★★ 1 day ago
Upsolve was very helpful and made filing easy!
Read more Google reviews ⇾
Derain Rucker
Derain Rucker
★★★★★ 2 days ago
The most affective tool provided to assist anyone with their bankruptcy procedure!
Read more Google reviews ⇾

What if we want to apply for joint loans or credit accounts together in the future?

You and your spouse will still be able to apply for joint loans or credit accounts in the future. For a while, your bankruptcy filing may impact your ability to get a joint loan with good terms. But, most people with poor credit who file for bankruptcy see their credit scores increase when compared to people with poor credit who remain in debt. So, as you rebuild your credit score, you're ability to get favorable terms on new loans will increase as well.

How does my bankruptcy affect our property?

If you own property together, but it's worth less than the available exemptions, your bankruptcy will have no effect. If you or your spouse owns a home, it'll be protected by the homestead exemption as long as it's not worth too much.

It gets trickier if your spouse owns property that is worth more than what you’re able to keep during your bankruptcy. Depending on where you live, any property that your spouse purchased during your marriage may be considered to be joint property, even if your spouse purchased the property with a separate financial account.

Community Property States

This rule applies in “community property states,” which include Louisiana, Arizona, California, Texas, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. In these states, both spouses have joint and equal ownership over most property acquired in the marriage even if only one spouse is on title.

Debtors not located in one of these states generally do not have to worry about the trustee coming after their spouse’s property during a bankruptcy, even if the spouse owns property worth more than what the exemptions permit.



Written By:

Attorney Eva Bacevice

LinkedIn

Eva G. Bacevice graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2001. She practiced law for close to a decade in the area of consumer bankruptcy. She now works in higher education as an Academic Advisor for undergraduate students at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business,... read more about Attorney Eva Bacevice

It's easy to get help

Choose one of the options below to get assistance with your bankruptcy:

Free Web App

Take our screener to see if Upsolve is right for you.

Take Screener
12,215 families have filed with Upsolve! ☆
or

Private Attorney

Get a free bankruptcy evaluation from an independent law firm.

Find Attorney

Learning Center

Research and understand your options with our articles and guides.

Go to Learning Center →

Already an Upsolve user?

Read Support Articles →
Y-Combinator

Upsolve is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that started in 2016. Our mission is to help low-income families who cannot afford lawyers file bankruptcy for free, using an online web app. Our team includes lawyers, engineers, and judges. We have world-class funders that include the U.S. government, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and leading foundations. It's one of the greatest civil rights injustices of our time that low-income families can't access their basic rights when they can't afford to pay for help. Combining direct services and advocacy, we're fighting this injustice.

To learn more, read why we started Upsolve in 2016, our reviews from past users, and our press coverage from places like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.