Credit After Divorce

There are certain aspects of divorce that many people do not realize come afterwords. Sure, everyone knows about the emotional and mental ups and downs, along with potential financial difficulties. Here are a few things you may not have known, and how to deal with them.

Credit Line

Not even perfect credit during your marriage effects your credit score. Unless you had cards and bills that were in your name only, and you took care of the payments on time every time, your credit score has no meaning from marriage. The only time your credit from marriage does effect you is if you had cards and bills in your name that were not paid off or were late. One of the first things you need to do once you are divorced is get yourself a credit card in your name. Get one with a small credit limit and use it for minor purchases, such as gas or groceries and pay off the entire balance every month. This will slowly but surely build back up a good credit score attached to your name only.

Rentals and Housing

I had a very hard time after my divorce in finding decent housing. Apparently being divorced is a taboo in the rental world. Many potential landlords asked more financial questions then they had when I was married. What helped me was having pay stubs and referrals from past landlords and co-workers. Be prepared for questions regarding savings and how you would be able to come up with rent if you became ill or incapacitated.

Friend or Foe

With the divorce rate at 3.6 per 1,000 population according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the attitude towards divorced woman has not changed much toward the being more tolerant. You might find yourself losing friends you once had who are still married. The attitude is divorce is like a contagious disease. Married couples you once got together with will suddenly have full schedules. It also becomes a juggle if friends chose sides in who was right and who was wrong. I have one friend who had to sneak and talk to me on the phone for years after my split, simply because her husband thought I was a bad influence being a divorced woman. Be prepared to take the change in friendships and do not ask your friends to choose sides.

Job Hunt

After my divorce I began the long hunt of finding a job for the first time in 8 years. Even with all of my experience before becoming a stay at home mother, I had to fill out my applications as if I were an entry level employee. Many of the sites I had worked for years before no longer existed, or the management had changed so much no one knew who I was. Keep updated on your past work experiences, and save all referrals from past bosses. Don't be afraid to make your own resume template and include the responsibilities you did from home. Managing a girl scout troop still counts towards being organized and many employers look at all information.

Current Job

If you were employed already when you got your divorce, schedule a meeting with your manager. You need to have a plan to present complete with new emergency information and how you will fulfill your duties now that you are on your own. Have a plan for back up child care and a plan for what to do if you must leave work or stay home to care for a sick child. If you previously worked massive amounts of overtime, or need to change your scheduled hours, have an idea to give your boss. Come up with creative ways you will be able to complete the work you once did.

Insurance

One thing you should do after a divorce is change your life insurance plans. If you have children and either your husband or yourself were the beneficiaries in case of death, the plans are now null and void. In my case, I had to cancel the old plans and start new ones for my children and myself. The next things to change were also the car insurance and medical insurance. All of these had been in my husbands name and I had no say so in the plans. Once the divorce was final I was able to cancel the old plans and make new ones with the help of the agents. Keep records of your old plans, as many agencies will give discounts for having previous insurance.

These are just a few tips to help you along in your bid to becoming a free and responsible person in your own right. If you have further questions ask your divorce attorney or local support group for more information. They can lead you in the right direction and possibly help you with filling out forms the correct way.