There’s a lot to account for during a divorce: child custody/visitation arrangements, division of assets, alimony or spousal support, and more. On top of all of this, how are people expected to cope with a ruined credit score as they work to rebuild their lives?

For this post, we want to cover one of the more common “myths” that we hear about divorce: that it always ruins your credit. Like with many myths, there’s only a grain of truth here. Read on to learn more about how divorce does and does not impact your credit score in CA.

What Impacts your Credit Rating During a Divorce?

Much to many of our clients’ surprise, the simple act of filing for and getting a divorce has no bearing on your credit score. Despite that, many people do get dinged on their credit score while working their way through a divorce due to a variety of different reasons.

For example, the divorce itself might end up being costlier than expected and could lead to a larger pile of debt once everything is said and done. This is especially true when you depended on the ex’s income for some or all of the bills. On a similar note, a decreased overall household income will lead to shrinking credit limits, which impacts your credit score as well.

In addition, many people miss or make late payments as their mind becomes fully preoccupied with the divorce itself. This isn’t just regularly inattentive or irresponsible individuals, either. Even missing just one payment can have a notable detrimental effect to your credit score.

Rely on an Experienced, Trusted CA Divorce Attorney

In other words, it’s true that credit scores are often negatively impacted during divorce proceedings in CA, but it is typically due to other factors such as late payments and a decreased household income rather than the divorce itself.

This means that you can take steps to protect yourself and ensure that your focus is on the future rather than financial struggles. To learn more about your options, you first step should always be to consult with an experienced family law attorney.

At Rubin & Levavi, P. C., we have years of experience in matters such as divorce, child custody/disputes, and other matters involving family law in California. Best of all, we offer free initial consultations so that you can speak with one of our legal experts without any commitment on your end.

Call Rubin & Levavi P. C. at (415) 564-2776 to learn more about how we can help.