Should you change your passwords after divorce?

Sharing passwords has become a common practice for married couples in the United States. For some, it is even a sign of trust.

However, when marriages end, divorcing couples may have different expectations when it comes to accessing their shared accounts.

Sharing passwords after a divorce

When a couple goes through a contentious divorce, it is often an easy decision to decide to change all the passwords and stop sharing accounts. However, couples who part amicably may continue to share their logins to subscription services and other accounts. This practice can be problematic for several reasons.

Reasons to consider changing your passwords

From a practical standpoint, many subscription services limit the number of people who can log in at the same time. If you let your former spouse continue to use your account, you may have to make an awkward call later if you want to let your new partner use the account and you need your former spouse to quit logging in.

Additionally, you run the risk that your former spouse may decide to share your account with other people you do not know about. This can be particularly problematic if you have used the password for one account anywhere else.

For both practical and security reasons, it may be best to go your separate digital ways after a divorce. Change all your passwords and do not use a password you have used before. You may want to reassess your security questions as well. If your former spouse knows the answers to your security questions, they may not be so secure.

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