A woman, 29, is engaged to a man carrying $22,000 in credit card debt from before their relationship began. With the wedding six months out, he’s asked her to help pay it down using her savings so they can “start clean,” and she feels cornered into a financial decision she never agreed to.

Does Marrying Him Make His Debt Hers

Debt taken on before marriage generally stays the individual responsibility of the person who incurred it, even after the wedding, in states that don’t follow community property rules. Only debt taken on jointly during the marriage, or in states with community property laws, typically becomes shared.

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