How to protect your property from past creditors?

Question

Hello.  I am a married California resident who is about to buy his first house.  My wife has previously been married in another state.  As part of her divorce decree , her ex-husband was required to continue to make payments on a car they had purchased, and other items.  After the divorce, the ex-husband who was a dead beat to begin with stopped paying on everything and, among other things, the car was repossessed.  Essentially he screwed up my wife's credit history after the divorce.   Sad but happens.    Now to the question, I am about to buy my first property in California, a community property state.  My real estate broker wanted me to take title with my wife.  However, I thought that myself, and the property for that matter, would be better protected if I take it in my own name.  I don't want my wife's creditors, who I am sure run her name from time to time, to see that she has a property in her name and put a lien on it.  Am I paranoid?  What is the best course of actions?

Fletcher Batts · Answer

the first thing that you need to do is get a copy of that decree.  You are doing nothing but blowing smoke without it.  now with this in hand, contact every creditor that was involved and send them a copy of this decree.  at the same time, dispute all information related that is on your credit report.  First start with “this account was settle…”, or “belonged to spouse”, this response gets the conversation flowing between the creditor and the credit bureau in YOUR favor.  By you claiming no knowledge, that have to completely validate all papers.  Also, send the credit bureau a copy of the decree.
I am 100% certain that these items should be removed from your wife’s report.  Had you done this before repossession issues were started, it would have saved the car.  If you wife wants to be ugly, she can now sue him(small claims court) for the value of the items that she lost.  He violated a court ordered agreement, she should hold him to it.  
If she needs to build and you have some extra cash, check out some of my other post, they could help you both.   
Good luck.