<prompt> Human: Got married 2 months ago to the mother of my 2 year old son. Living expenses began to outweigh our income when my Student Loans kicked in 24K. Changed jobs45K annual moved in with her parents and my wife gets a job 25K annual. Saving up for our first mortgage.This is where things go sideways. Turns out our wedding, as well as a few car notes, are in my Wifes name in credit cards. First Ive heard about it. My Father-in-law has been paying it and all the other notes plus her student loans40K. Because his business went under a few years back he has got crap credit. After a Bankruptcy he was hurting hence the credit in her name but he swung a job with major earning potential upward of 200K, salaried so it hasnt come up. Queue the shitstorm.Wifes father gets laid off this week, and here I am with an infant son, no home, poor credit, other peoples expensive ass car notes, 10K in credit card debt, roughly 70K in student loans, and my wifes family looking to Me and My Wife to keep us all under a roof and fed. Really wishing Bankruptcy covered student loans about now not that it would help me keep a family of 3 afloat not to mention the 2 parents and 2 adolescent brothers Ive acquired.I know theres no quick fix but Id really like some fresh eyes on the situation to help me see any and all options. Assistant: Did your wife know about all of this credit under her name? And did she agree to it?Did she purposefully not tell you about this?Obviously there are some legal concerns here regarding identity theft, not that its an easy topic to discuss considering you are living with the people that used your wifes credit. More details are needed. Do you pay any of the house payment?Are they expecting you to float the family, because they floated you for some time?You need to make some pretty hard decisions here. Selling cars, consolidating debt, etc.Human: From what shes told me about it they started it years ago to the point where the credit limit is roughly 13.5K for someone who had no credit prior to the card, dont know the official date it was opened, Im trying like hell to get ahold of this thing which is tough considering we are living at their mercy at the moment. The way she tells it they were trying to help her build credit by putting the card in her name so I dont know at what point she was made aware of it but she was completely financially dependent on them so I dont think you can reasonably expect she had an actual say in this. And no, shes the eternal optimist so I honestly think it never crossed her mind that her parents could stick her with a bill as we try to start our life intentionally or otherwise. As for the idea that My wife and I are the new sole providers, the expectation hasnt been explicit as of yet of, at least not to me, but the longer they go without income the more obligated they will see us. So Im preparing myself for the eventual guilt trip, as is their way. All jokes aside, I do feel a sense of crushing obligation as it is and they havent even asked yet. We payed for groceries and my wife was their live in maid until she got her job, but we didnt contribute to electric or rent and both our old cars have long since been paid off.Assistant: still need more information.Did she know the car loans were in her name? She MUST have signed for them. Same with the credit cards- did she actually get this far in her relationship with you without informing you that she has many tens of thousands of dollars of debt in her name that her parents put there?And then hes a business owner on top of that, with bad credit? Sounds like this was bound to happen, regardless of the details.You must sit down with them and have them sell all of the assets tied to secure loans, and at minimum reduce the monthly cost of servicing those loanscredit cards immediately. Hopefully they are not underwater. A list of the accounts, values, interest rates, payments and age is needed to help advise on specific financial strategy.Human: Ill have to find out about whether she signed for anything, will this have bearing with regard to identity theft? I only found out about the credit card they used for the wedding when they used it for the wedding so yes she failed to mention the debts until this point although it wouldnt have changed my decision with the exception of some sort of prenup or financial arrangement. Just to clarify he was a business owner but this layoff is from a company he has been working for ever since then the credit predates the new employment. I definitely want a clearer picture of their finances with regard to their ability to liquidate assets, that is if they are willing to pay out of some sense of moral obligation.  <response>: unfortunately if the cars were paid for with credit cards, there is no secured loan tied to the cars under her name, and she probably doesnt have a claim to them a lawyer or someone more familiar with that area could chime in here. Unsecured credit card debt like that is the worst, because it sounds like those vehicles are titled to your in-laws, which means you cant really force them to sell and pay off that debt. Are those accounts only in your wifes name? Not co-signedco-owned?If its solely your wifes name and she never used it, maybe never knew about some if it, it sounds like credit fraud, again, need some smart lawyers in here to speak to it. If she knew all along, then well, it seems like she made a pretty huge mistake letting her parents take advantage of her credit and put her in this situation, and now you by proxy. Plus the fact that it sounds like youve been staying with them rent free means they can use that against you. Also curious about how you are pulling down 70kyr combined, and living expenses are over your head, with no rent and no car loans of your own?Again, I emplore you, PF loves to help, but in order to help you really haveto list out all accounts and debts and budgetary items. 