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Divorce and Alcohol Consumption Abuse

Majority of people really need a strong reason to ask for a divorce. Yet, when it comes to divorce, both parties will go through a lot of stress (both physical and emotional). It is a tumultuous time for everyone involved, and there is no easy way to go through a divorce. After getting divorced, people often engage in a variety of unhealthy behaviors. Alcohol-abusing is among them. However, some people choose to divorce because one of the spouses has been using too much alcohol lately. Alcoholism is a very strong ground for a divorce, and one of the leading reasons why people seek divorce in the United States. Salvage What You Can Did you know that Alcoholism is among the three top reasons behind people’s divorce in the States? It is known to dimish relationships to the point where there is nothing left. Under the effect of alcohol, people do things they may regret later. Alcoholics usually have problems with focusing on their marriages, become secretive and tell a lot of ...

Who covers the bills while going through a divorce?


Going through a divorce is a hard time, for both you and your spouse, as well as your children. Everyone is caught in the moment of confusion, and the stress keeps rising with each passing day. But just because you are divorcing, that doesn’t mean that you and your spouse should stop paying the bills. In fact, this is the time when you should pay extreme attention to your bills, as missing the payment could result in a negative credit score for both you and your spouse. The common question we get a lot is – who covers the bills while going through a divorce? We asked some of the most experienced Salt Lake City Divorce Attorneys for an explanation, and here is what they told us.

Name On the Bill

The common rule of thumb is the following: whoever’s name is on the bill, that person is responsible for paying it. Simple as that. If your name is on the household bills, you are the one responsible for paying them. This does not include food, luxuries, and drinks, but only bills related to the house. These include:
  • Energy
  • Mortgage (if existing)
  • Water
  • Internet and cable TV
  • Insurance
  • Security
  • Cellphone / Telephone
So if your name is on these bills, you are the one responsible for paying them. If both names are on the bills (rare cases), both the spouses should split the bills equally.

Shared Bills

There are some bills that are shared equally between the spouses. These include:
  • Debt
  • Mortgage
  • Loans
  • Divorce Fees

In most scenarios, debts are carried on after divorce, and each party is responsible for paying their share of it. It is almost never an option where one party gets to pay all the debt made during the marriage.

 Also, some things to consider are the assets you own; if you already know who will get to keep what (the house, car), it is best that you start talking about taking over the bills for that particular assets. For instance, even if the car is registered to you, if you and your spouse agreed that he/she will take the care after the divorce, he/she should start paying all the expenses and bills related to the care. The same goes for the house and every other asset that you two have already made a deal about.

Keep Everything Documented

The most important thing is to keep all your bills and payments documented. Once in court, you will be able to present these records to your lawyer and the judge, as evidence that you have been paying the bills. This will show your regular earnings, as well as your responsibility for paying the bills.

To further protect your finances, consider opening a separate account and start saving finances. Life is going to get hard (financially) once the divorce starts and ends. Expect a lot of unexpected costs.

Call a Divorce Attorneys in Salt Lake City and learn more about the costs of divorce and how you can get the most out of it by simply opening a separate account ahead of time.

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