What to do when dividing a mortgage after a divorce?

Questioner

My boyfriend and I bought a house a few years ago. The mortgage and the purchase agreement are in both our names. We both have an income, my boyfriend has always paid the mortgage from his account and I always pay the costs for groceries, childcare and all kinds of other household expenses from my account. My boyfriend is convinced that if we were to split up, I would still owe him the mortgage payments for the past few years. Is that correct?

Lawyer

The household expenses, including the mortgage, are paid from both parties' incomes. If your boyfriend makes that claim after you've broken up, I think you'd be in a strong position to fight it in court.

Lawyer

You have apparently made agreements about the way in which you now live together and share the costs. You cannot unilaterally point that out and reclaim it. After all, then you in turn could also reclaim half of what you paid. That is not how it works. What could be an issue is that if you separate, an arrangement must be made regarding the home and the costs thereof.