How to Close Joint Credit Cards After Divorce in Mississippi

Creditors Do Not Care About Your Divorce Decree

Your property settlement agreement may assign specific debts to each spouse, but credit card companies and lenders are not bound by that agreement. They are bound by the original credit application. If both names are on a joint credit card, both parties remain fully liable for the balance — regardless of what the Chancery Court ordered.

This means your ex-spouse can charge $5,000 on a joint card the day after the divorce is final, and the credit card company will hold you equally responsible. The decree gives you the right to seek reimbursement from your ex-spouse through a contempt motion, but collecting that money is a separate legal battle.

Close Joint Accounts Immediately

Call each credit card issuer and request closure of the joint account. You will need:

• Your account number and the last four digits of both cardholders' Social Security numbers
• A certified copy of the divorce decree (some issuers request this by fax or mail)
• Written confirmation from the issuer that the account has been closed

Pay off the remaining balance before closure if possible. If the balance is too large, ask the issuer about transferring each spouse's assigned portion to individual accounts. Some issuers will allow a balance transfer to a new individual card for this purpose.

Once the account is closed, request a letter confirming the closure date. This protects you if any post-closure charges appear on your credit report.

Remove Authorized Users

If your ex-spouse is an authorized user on your individual credit card (not a joint account), you can remove them unilaterally. Call the issuer, request removal, and ask them to cancel the physical card. The authorized user has no ownership rights to the account, so their consent is not required.

Do the same in reverse — if you are an authorized user on your ex-spouse's cards, those accounts will likely be cut off. Make sure you have your own credit established before losing access.

Notify Other Creditors

Beyond credit cards, notify any creditor where both names appear:

• Auto loan lenders — if the decree assigns a vehicle to one spouse, the other should be released from the loan (this usually requires refinancing)
• Personal loan companies — joint personal loans need to be paid off or refinanced individually
• Medical providers — if you have joint medical billing accounts, separate them
• Utility companies — transfer accounts to the spouse remaining in the home

Send each creditor a brief letter with a copy of the relevant decree provisions assigning the debt, and request written acknowledgment.

Protecting Your Credit Score

Check your credit reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) within 30 days of the divorce. Look for:

• Joint accounts that should have been closed but remain open
• New charges on accounts your ex-spouse was supposed to pay
• Missed payments on debts assigned to your ex-spouse that still carry your name

Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze if you are concerned about unauthorized activity. You can also set up free credit monitoring through annualcreditreport.com.

Separating joint credit is one piece of the larger financial untangling after divorce. Our Mississippi After-Divorce Checklist sequences bank accounts, credit cards, insurance, and every other financial separation task so nothing gets missed.

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