 TITLE: What Is a Divorce Decree? CONTENT: Does a Divorce Decree Absolve You From Any Debt Liabilities?\n------------------------------------------------------------\nDivorce decrees, while legitimate court documents, do not change or modify your agreements with creditors or service providers. Even if your ex-spouse has agreed to make payments on debts you both incurred, your divorce decree does not amend the original agreements with your lenders accordingly.\nYour lenders are rarely, if ever, a party to your divorce decree. As such, they are not bound by the terms of the agreement you made with your ex-spouse regarding who will make payments on your joint liabilities. In your lenders' eyes, you're both still liable.\nBecause both spouses are still liable for jointly incurred debts, they are likely to remain on both spouses' credit reports. And they will continue to influence your credit scores. If the accounts are paid on time after a divorce, a record of on-time payments will continue to appear on the obligors' credit reports. And, conversely, if the accounts are not paid on time a record of the late payments will also appear on credit reports belonging to both partners.\nFor example, you and your ex-spouse may have purchased a home with a joint mortgage loan while you were still married. During the divorce process, your ex-spouse agrees to\ntake the house and continue to make payments on the mortgage loan. If your ex-spouse does not make the payments on the loan as agreed, those late payments will show up on both of your credit reports since you are both still liable for the debt. END