Does anyone have experience with this? I'm a college student, so is he. We have been married for 7 years. I don't own anything of real value. Through out our entire marriage, I am the only one who ever had a job. His mom would pay his rent and give him money and he said that was his contribution to the marriage. I bought the car he drives and everything. anyway, I thought we could work it all out - i just wanted him to pay half of the credit cards and take half of the student loans. Turns out he doesn't think he should have to pay for anything so he got a lawyer who's now requested about 500 financial documents from me. My ex has said to me that I should just take his offer of him not paying anything because if I don't i'll end up owing him for all manner of things. I can't afford a lawyer myself ( his mom is paying for his - she's also paying his rent on a nicer apt than the one we had together, she even bought him a vacation to Thailand because he "needed a nice break"). Meanwhile I'm living off the credit cards he doesn't want to pay and reading forms from his lawyer that want $300 worth of bank statements! Has anyone had to deal with this kind of spite and a fight over debt?

If you can't get a lawyer, do a lot of research about divorce in your state. If the debt you have from credit cards is based on mutual expenses, he will have to pay up. If you bought his car with your own money, you can be entitled to it or its value.

As for the degree you're working towards, be careful for what you ask for regarding the loans. If any money for it came from him (his mom) or your mutual accounts, he can be entitled to some of your degree from a financial viewpoint. Because you have a job, too, and he doesn't he get fight for alimony.

Just fight for what you're entitled to and if his lawyer rejects what you're trying to settle for, unfortunately you will have to go to court and get a judge to intervene. I know him not helping you pay your loans is tough, but it will be better for you in the long run and sadly in a divorce, you can't get everything that you want. There was so much more I could have fought for, but it wasn't worth it and I was better off in the end because I would have ended up spending more money and an in the end not necessarily getting even a fraction of what I asked for.

I hope everything works out for you. I know it isn't pleasant, but stay strong and don't let his mother's money intimidate you.