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Wife left, and I'm stuck with bills

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Bakado

Junior Member
My wife recently left me, she went to another state, with no address. I have bills that need to be payed, namely rent. When she left she left my laptop and I was able to get on and pay her portion of the rent, later she was able to get it back with the bank. But now there's an Electric Bill(in her name) that needs to be payed as well as the rent, we are both on the lease I'm facing Eviction is there anything I can do to get her to pay so it doesn't ruin my credit? She didn't leave an address and she refuses to tell anyone where she is so when I file for Disillusion of Marriage(Which I also can't afford to pay for.) there is a possibility I have to just wait for it to be annulled, if that's the case how can I track her down to get this needed money from her? Florida.
 


Isis1

Senior Member
I've got some really bad news for you. Nothing in the world is going to turn your divorce into an annullment by not serving her with a divorce. You are going to HAVE to find her to serve her. Any other way would need hiri g of an attorney to do a divorce without her consent.

Are there children involved?

In regards to your eviction, how long ago did you recieve notice?
 

Bakado

Junior Member
I talked to an Attorney and she said that if the serve isn't replied to they have to post it in a newspaper for a month if it's still not responded to I have to have a hearing to get it taken care of.

There are no children, that I know of.

Yesterday I received the notice.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
Notice by publication. Sorry, it's saturday, i forgot what it was called. It would still be a divorce. It definitely won't happen prior to preventing an eviction, and probably not before your credit gets dinged with bills in YOUR name. You'd have to include that in your debts and assets.
 

Bakado

Junior Member
When I put it in Debts and Assets will she be made to pay it? Or me if I'm able to get help from my family to pay it?

I found out a little about the guy using the information she shared with me before she decided to run off so I think I have an Idea where to serve her.

Seeing as how she was able to get the money back using the bank and I know from a friend of her's that she talks to on and off that she(Karma) totaled her car on her way to the other state, could I use any of that information to track her down?
 

mistoffolees

Senior Member
When I put it in Debts and Assets will she be made to pay it? Or me if I'm able to get help from my family to pay it?
If you can track her down, she will be entitled to 1/2 of marital assets and will be required to pay 1/2 of marital debt.

If your family wants to help pay, they are certainly free to do so, but can not be obligated to.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
She can be ordered to pay, but that doesn't mean she will. If she doesn't, pay it to keep your credit clean and chalk it up as a debt you can TRY to collect if you have the time and money. And energy. If it's a few thousand, may not be worth it in the long wrong if it takes more than a few years to collect, but that's your call.

You should try to use any information possible to track her down. Try to keep the costs down. Notice by publication can be a bit pricey, especially when you don't even have a county.

And you're welcome! :D
 

CJane

Senior Member
If you can track her down, she will be entitled to 1/2 of marital assets and will be required to pay 1/2 of marital debt.

If your family wants to help pay, they are certainly free to do so, but can not be obligated to.
Is that accurate for FL? Equitable distribution isn't the same as a 50/50 split.
 

CJane

Senior Member
Most of the time it boils down to 50/50, even in an equitable distribution state.
It's just interesting to me, because in the divorces I'm familiar with - my own and those of friends/family/etc (and none in FL, which is why I was asking), it's been nowhere near 50/50. Generally speaking, the split of debt approached whatever the percentage of total income was.

And because they're leasing/renting, there is apparently no marital home which might be considered an asset (assuming there would be equity in it). One has to wonder if there are any assets of the marriage, of if there is only debt to be divided.

Isn't it also likely that the wife would not be held responsible for debt incurred after she left, unless it was incurred by her (using marital credit cards, etc).

And did he access HER bank account online and pay bills with it? If it's not a joint account, that's potentially very problematic, is it not?
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
It's just interesting to me, because in the divorces I'm familiar with - my own and those of friends/family/etc (and none in FL, which is why I was asking), it's been nowhere near 50/50. Generally speaking, the split of debt approached whatever the percentage of total income was.
That's logical if there is only debt to deal with.

Isn't it also likely that the wife would not be held responsible for debt incurred after she left, unless it was incurred by her (using marital credit cards, etc).
I agree with this, however the landlord would hold her responsible for the lease if she cosigned it, no matter what the divorce decree said.

And did he access HER bank account online and pay bills with it? If it's not a joint account, that's potentially very problematic, is it not?
Yes, that is quite problematic, which is why the bank took the money back. I suspect that she has changed her passwords etc, and maybe even her bank account number as a result.
 

nextwife

Senior Member
Isn't it also likely that the wife would not be held responsible for debt incurred after she left, unless it was incurred by her (using marital credit cards, etc).

And did he access HER bank account online and pay bills with it? If it's not a joint account, that's potentially very problematic, is it not?
I don't know where so many people get the mistaken idea they can just up and walk away from a mortgage or lease and have no liability for the payments. The responsibility under any contract that she entered into continues whether she chose to walk away from it or not. Of course, she should be responsible for her share of rent for the remaining term.

She did nor sign the lease agreeing to pay the landlord ONLY if she still wanted the relationship.

I am SOOOO sick of these people who think their mortgage/lease responsibility magically disappears if they want out of the relationship and choose to leave the residence. It is not the creditors responsibility to police the relationship. The signatories both owe their mortgage lender or landlord until the contract ends.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
I don't know where so many people get the mistaken idea they can just up and walk away from a mortgage or lease and have no liability for the payments. The responsibility under any contract that she entered into continues whether she chose to walk away from it or not. Of course, she should be responsible for her share of rent for the remaining term.

She did nor sign the lease agreeing to pay the landlord ONLY if she still wanted the relationship.

I am SOOOO sick of these people who think their mortgage/lease responsibility magically disappears if the want out of the relationship and choose to leave the residence. It is not the creditors responsibility to police the relationship. The signatories both owe their mortgage lender or landlord until the contract ends.
Again, under credit law she is equally responsible for the rent under the lease (assuming that she is on the lease). I absolutely agree with that and if she doesn't meet her share of the responsibility, and he cannot, then her credit will be just as tanked as his.

However we all know that the practice in family law, is that whoever retains possession of the marital residence is responsible for the rent/mortgage/utilities in nearly all cases.

He is also lucky that he isn't in serious hot water for accessing her bank account via the net.
 
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