Short answer? Yes.

You see, creditors don’t care who your divorce decree deems responsible. If you’re listed as a primary cardholder on the account, then in the eyes of the creditors, you’re responsible for paying off that debt. Period.

If you’re an “authorized user” on the account, then you’re technically not responsible for making the payments…but your credit can take a hit if the primary cardholder (aka your ex-spouse) doesn’t make the payments on time. The good news here is that, as an authorized user, you can be easily removed from the account.

But what should you do if you’re a primary cardholder on the account and your ex-spouse refuses to pay the bills that they’re liable for?

You’ll need to pay at least the minimum payments each month. Otherwise, your credit score will drop.

By how much?

It depends, but just one late payment can cause up to a 110-point drop in your credit score.

Do keep a record of the payments that you make because you can always go back to court later to try and recover your share of the money. But keep in mind that even if you go to court, there’s no guarantee you’ll get the money back. So that’s a risk you might have to take.