Q: I executed a new deed adding wife a year ago in NC. Can an unsecured creditor of my wife attach a lien or sever the TBE?
The debt was incurred while we were married but before adding her name to the house. The debt is a credit card. I plan on settling with them but in the meantime I don't want our house to be in jeopardy.
A: If the house is titled in both husband and wife names as "tenants by the entirety" or "as husband and wife", a judgment for money owed is not a lien on the property so long as the non debtor spouse is alive. Without seeing the deed itself, this is just general legal advice. If your wife has a large amount of credit card debt in her name only, she should have a consultation with a qualified consumer bankruptcy attorney before deciding to settle the account. Settlements have tax consequences, debts discharged in bankruptcy do not. Many offer free consultations, so it would not hurt to have the consultation prior to making a final decision.
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
