Arthur Fuentes

Article (news)

Aneth Ng-Lim

ABS-CBN News

No one wants to be on the receiving end of a call from a debt collection agent.  Or to get a text message that sounds more like a threat, or an unexpected visit to one’s home or office.  Especially when you are not the one who owes money.But these can happen when your husband does.  One of our readers found this the hard way, and sadly she is not alone.  Many wives are kept in the dark about their husband’s finances.  The same can be true for husbands about their wives’ spending.Whether you know about the debt or not, this can be stressful and would likely also affect your marriage.Some debt collection agents can be aggressive and make you feel at fault.  But are you?<div>The law says no</div>Section 4, Article 121 of the Family Code of the Philippines (Executive Order 209) says you are not.  It states, “payment of personal debts contracted by the husband or the wife before or during the marriage shall not be charged to the conjugal properties partnership except insofar as they redounded to the benefit of the family.”This means legally, if your husband is in debt, you as the spouse is not obligated to share the burden, unless these debts were incurred for the family’s benefit.So when a credit card collection agent asks you to help your husband pay off his outstanding balance, you can say no, especially if you are not aware of what the charges are and not sure if these were for family expenses.  Your husband is the account holder, and by the terms and conditions of most credit cards, he is responsible for all the charges made on that plastic.There are also other exceptions, such as if he made you a co-maker or guarantor of a loan, in which case the demand to pay rests on both of you.<div>What about moral obligation?</div>While the law is clear, lines can blur inside a marriage.  It is natural for you to want to help.  Legally you may not be liable, but morally you may feel responsible.  You may want to help your husband.  If he borrowed from family or friends, you may feel obligated to make things right.By law, debts that benefit the family, or those where both spouses benefited from the loan or co-signed for it, may be considered shared responsibilities.  Unless it is very clear where the money went or how the loan was spent, you could find yourself liable.If you have the means to help, this may be an easy decision to make.  But if you are not able to make payments, do your best to keep the creditors at bay while reaching out to your husband for an overdue talk on finances.<div>Debts on the table</div>Ask your spouse about his financial situation so both of you can find solutions.  Be ready for unpleasant surprises.   You may think there is only this one loan, or two, but you may discover there is many more.  Let’s be real – one or two debts can be easy to manage, but if you are getting collection calls, it is likely that your husband is already drowning.Ask him to share his debt level, and to show you amounts, due dates and contracts.  While this can put pressure on your marriage, it can also strengthen your relationship when you are honest with one another.Come up with a payment plan together.  Start with the debts with higher interest, and begin tightening your belts for the long road ahead.  Whether you are legally liable or not, your marriage has a stronger chance of survival when you conquer the debts as a couple.Once you have a plan, make sure to follow through. With credit card companies and other financial institutions, you can negotiate for discounts or lower interest if you show that your promises to pay are solid.  With family and friends, make sure your word is as good as your actions.While you are helping, let your husband take the lead on this.  Remember, these are his loans and he needs to be the one to learn the painful lesson as you both try to dig your way out of the deep well of debt.

Many wives are kept in the dark about their husbands’ finances; the same can be true for husbands about their wives’ spending.

Many wives are kept in the dark about their husbands’ finances; the same can be true for husbands about their wives’ spending.

Are you responsible for your husband’s debt?

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Are you responsible for your husband’s debt?

Aneth Ng-Lim,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 30, 2025 07:20 AM PHT

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