Unfortunately, like any addiction, gambling can significantly impact a marriage. Compulsive gambling often causes significant financial and emotional strain in a marriage, ultimately leading to divorce. If you are the spouse of a compulsive gambler, it is vital to understand the unique challenges you will face during the dissolution of your marriage. To maximize your chances of achieving the best possible outcome, contact our compassionate Bristol County Divorce Lawyers, who can help you navigate this complex legal process. Please continue reading to gain more insight into the complexities of divorcing a gambling addict.
What should I know about divorcing someone with a gambling addiction?
In Massachusetts, despite your spouse’s gambling addiction being the reason for the marriage’s breakdown, you cannot cite it as grounds for a fault-based divorce. However, other options allow you to obtain a fault-based divorce due to your spouse’s addiction. If you have endured physical, emotional, financial, or any other abuse due to your spouse’s gambling addiction, you may cite extreme cruelty or insanity as grounds for divorce. Compulsive gambling can lead to drastic changes in a spouse’s behavior and cause them to become dishonest as they try to conceal their addiction and the resulting financial problems. Unfortunately, spouses of compulsive gamblers are often subject to the blowbacks of their addiction.
Will I be responsible for paying their debts?
A common worry when divorcing a gambling addict is whether you will be subject to paying their debts. Massachusetts follows equitable distribution rules when dividing marital property. A couple’s marital assets, any assets accumulated during the marriage, are divided fairly between each party. However, that does not necessarily mean an even 50/50 split. What is deemed as an equitable split is up to the court’s discretion. Debts accumulated during eh marriage are considered marital property. Therefore, you could be liable for paying a portion of your spouse’s gambling debts.
Although marital assets are typically divided equitably between a divorcing couple, if marital misconduct had a financial impact on the family, the court may make an expectation. If you can prove that your spouse used a substantial amount of your marital funds to fuel their gambling addiction, the court may issue you a larger share of your marital assets during property division to compensate for the lost funds.
Ultimately, if you are married to someone with a severe gambling addiction that has resulted in the breakdown of your marriage, contact a talented lawyer from The Law Offices of Cynthia L. Hanley, P.C. Our firm is committed to helping our clients protect their hard-earned assets and receive a fair share of their marital assets.
