When your marriage is falling apart, it's urgent to take steps to protect your credit. Divorce ends one relationship, but the one you have with your creditors goes on.

To avoid a drastic hit on your credit score, you need to act in order to weather a financial storm created by divorce.

Financial experts have documented that a woman's credit takes a bigger hit than a man's when a couple splits up. Without a solid credit history in your own name, you won't be able to qualify for re-financing the marital home. And you're also likely to end up with high-interest credit cards and auto loans. Consumer financial guru John Ulzheimer makes the following useful suggestions:

* Pay up joint debts and cancel joint credit cards after you get a card in your own name.

* If joint debts can't be paid off, freeze those accounts so that neither you or your ex can run up more debt.

* If you're merely a credit card user on your spouse's card, remove your name.

* The family home should be sold unless one of you is able to buy out the other by qualifying for a new mortgage.

* Vehicles should be re-titled in each spouse's name, and car loans would have to be paid.

* If your ex is assigned to pay debt and fails to do so or pays late, place the shared accounts online so both of you can verify if the debt is being paid.

* If either of you is unable to pay the monthly bills due to job loss or illness, communicate with creditors to work out an arrangement. Unpaid joint debt will be reported to the three national reporting agencies resulting in lower credit scores.

I think it's good advice to take these precautions to protect your credit. Women especially benefit from these steps. Remember, regardless of a divorce, if there is joint debt — a mortgage, car loan or credit card — you're both on the hook to pay it off.

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