I have heard mention on hear before about divorce messing up your credit score and I have had it mentioned before by an applicant on the prescreen that they have a low score because they are going through a divorce. To me, not paying your bills is what causes a low credit score or no debt. I have never been through a divorce but the ones who do should still be paying there bills.

Sometimes it's because your credit is tied to someone who either doesn't care, or actively wants to harm you, or is struggling to make it on a fraction of the income they're used to.

Like if you cosigned for a vehicle together, and the bill gets sent to your ex, because that's their daily driver--- you expect them to take care of it. Not a lot of people would go out of their way to make sure their ex is making that $450/month payment on their $25k vehicle, because you kind of assume it's in their best interests to be responsible so they can get to work. Or, finding out that your ex is $1000 behind in payments, will pay that $1000 for the sake of keeping your own credit pristine. Especially if you're now making it yourself on a fraction of what you previously did. Or if you feel betrayed by the things that led to the divorce-- most people will think, "They get what they deserve" rather than "Oh, let me pay off their car for them so they don't ruin my credit in addition to the rest of my life."

As much as you loved someone when you got married, that's how much you might hate them when you get divorced. People go out of their way to hurt the other person sometimes. So joint credit cards: one spouse may just go crazy blowing up the cards. Overdrawing financial accounts. Not paying the bills.

There's a host of ways people damage each other during a divorce. People lose their minds.

That's why a credit score is essentially meaningless, as I've stated on here many times before. I need to see the report itself and what's on it.

Joint credit cards and other types of loans are still a joint responsibility, even after divorce/dissolution of a relationship. Failing to pay them is the same regardless of whether there is a divorce/breakup or not.

I really don't care about the REASON: I care about the FACT.

Let's say this person moves into your rental and brings along a shack up BF/GF. They split up 6 months into the lease. The next month, the rent stops. Do you care if they split up or not, or do you care if the rent gets paid or not?

The reason for non-payment is irrelevant. People either pay the bills for which the agreed to be responsible (good credit) or they don't (bad credit).

Both parties are getting their income cut and their expenses increased.

Responsible people can get through a divorce without ruining their credit, but how many tenants are responsible people? Some of them are, many of them aren't, which is why they are tenants.

Here in CA, we have community property: Most income and most debts are joint income and joint obligations. The court will take debts off the top before splitting up the assets and calculating amount of income available for support.

That means that stocking up on goodies on credit means that spouse pays for half. Buying a new car is the favorite.

...Both parties are getting their income cut and their expenses increased...

not an excuse, but that's one of the main reasons. It's just a fact of life. Two households duplicating services (two rents, two electrics bills, two auto insurance) for folks who didn't have a lot to start with puts a real strain until they get it figured out and are both situated.

I have said - what a beautiful wedding......