My boyfriend wants me to put a car in my name for him, should I do it?

Background: My boyfriend and I live together (and have for the past 4 years) and have a child together and he wants me to put a car in my name for him. I know he will pay the note but I don't want to do it. I don't want the car on my credit at all. I have my mortgage in my name, furniture we purchased, as well as credit card debt already on my credit and I don't want anything else on there. Not to mention if I were to need a car in the next year or so I wouldn't be able to with his car in my name. Am I being unreasonable?

(His credit is trash from when he was young and his current car is now undrivable)
Additional Details
I do appreciate the feedback. Just as a side note he is a perfect dad, if anything ever happend between us, I know 100% she would be loved and taken care of by 2 parents. She is financially supported with college funds etc. and she will do just fine.

I am scared to death to get married and that is why we are not married. Would it be better if I was married and then got divorced?

If you aren't comfortable putting the car in your name for what ever the reason then just say no. People with bad credit can get financed - they may have to pay a little more monthly or put down a larger down payment but they can nontheless be financed. If you need to give him a reason then tell him simply putting the car in his name would be a step towards his credit repair. Since finance isn't a problem for you guys - he may just have to fork up a little extra for the down payment thats all and no it doesn't make you a bad girlfriend to say no look at it this way you are helping him to build responsiblity in the credit arena.

If he's gone, you;re screwed! Don;t do it.

Why are you guys not married, it sounds like your doing everything so why not make it legal, because right now he's getting over like a fat rat! if he decides to leave your going to be so stuck, dont let him put anything else in your name!!!!! Its time for you to put your foot down and make him take real responsiblity.

NO.....NO.....NO.....a thousand times NO.

A friend of mine did this for his girlfriend.

To make a long story short. He ended up with 2 cars and 2 car payments that he didn't need.

Tell him to walk, bike or take the bus. You cannot foot the bill for everything.

Why is his car undrivable? Tell him to fix it up!

well there is a down fall and a benefit if he crashes it or wrecks it, it goes to your insurance but if you guys break up you get he car =) even if you went to court over it you would get the car becuase its in yoru name

NO, NO, NO.

smile when you say it though :)

The fact that you're asking the question makes me think you shouldn't do it. It's great you want to help, but don't let him reck your credit.

if you are using your credit rating and income - everything would have to be in your name, not boyfriends - the debt, the legal responsibility for paying that debt, etc would all be on you and your credit history - no way around it- he could leave anytime and take the car and you would be stuck with the debt

NO! Don't do it. Watch Judge Judy. He needs to clean up his credit. He can start making payments. Everything can't be on your stuff. Tell him to save up & buy a beater.

Ok listen. You had a CHILD with this man, yet you won't put a car in your name for him. It's pretty simple, isn't it? He loses the car, he never see's the kid again. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make sure he has everything he needs to help support your child. Why would you limit his options?? Who does it help??? Your bastard child?? Why not marry the man and then everything will be in both of your names. Or just dump the loser and raise another unwanted child by yourself and then unleash him, uneducated and unsupervised into society, like so many other mothers-of-the-year like yourself have done before you. Just go ahead, cut the father of your childs legs off and give him no ability to support his kid. Your a real class act.

Quite simple: DON'T DO IT!!!!

The reason he ruined his credit before is that he is irresponsible with this stuff. If years have passed, he has had PLENTY of time to fix his credit by now. That he has not shows he is unworthy.

He may be a nice guy, but I can promise that if anything goes wrong, you will be holding the bag.

As for a college fund, you are living in delusion land! No offense, but you probably have no business saving for college for your kids. Granted, I am ASSUMING you don't make enough money to save for college based on the information you are giving me (i.e. one of you can't get a loan for a car, you are probably not earning enough money to be saving sufficiently for retirement which in turn means you can't afford to save for college). As a general rule, unless you are both saving 15-20% of your income for your own retirement, and all other financial obligations are satisfied, you can't afford to save for college.

Never mind the logistics of how it will be paid for. The really important underlying issue is that you are liable from an an insurance standpoint.

The simple answer is no! I dont think you are being unreasonable - I feel that you have already credited enough to yourself and he needs to consider if anything should happen to him (god forbid!) how will you cope with the exisiting credit you have now?? There are plenty of companies out there at the moment that will help him obtain car finance even with his jaded credit history and eventhough the interest rate may be higher - it will also aid him build up his credit rating providing he makes his payments on time. Try searching through the internet for these types of credit companies - there are plenty out there! Good Luck! xx

Stand by your guns. You have enough credit to come up to your neck. Tell him to go to a "We tote the note" lot and pay directly to the salesman on the lot.

How the heck do you young people get into this kind of emotional mess??
Why do you think it is better to have illegitimate children rather than be married. Why are you taking on all the debt and financial responsibility for this man. If he will pay the note, then let him negotiate with a lender. How do some guy,s get lucky and find ladies like you that are prepared to finance him through life. Lady I am telling you as an old lawyer who has seen and heard most things in my life, that you are setting yourself up for a disaster. Before you do anything else for this guy you get the legal protection of marriage, and before all you all you tree hugging modernist start beating on me, that is the only way this lady is going to protect her child's financial future. I am not moralising ,just telling you how it is. If it is not possible for you to be married, then think very, very, very long and hard about where your future lays and if you decide it is with this man, so be it. But do not be signing anything for him that you cant pay if the crunch comes. My experience of life and through my business tells me that this is not a permanent relationship. Be very cautious, and protect your child's financial future, and your own.

I see that you have added that you are "scared" to get married and that you have even mentioned the D word So even at this time of writing you do not feel all that secure in the relationship.Proves my point, sign nothing!!!

Don't do it. No way- no how. Be smart- you are cause your asking so listen to your gut.

If you trust him then I think you should do it. If your fairly confident that your car isn't going to break down too.

Sorry kinda long, but worth the read.
I've been down this path... I'd talk with him about my issues... If you don't want to for those reasons, then you have a valid argument. All of your reasons sound legitimate. You sound as though you have enough on your plate already and adding a car for him to your credit, wouldn't necessarily be a good idea or a bad one, just one you didn't want to make.
On that note... Don't do it if you really don't want to and it's just that simple. Because if you do, it'll have an adverse affect on your relationship because you'll start to stress about it and if he's late or misses a payment, it's going to upset you because it's on your credit, then the two of you will start to argue about it and it'll eventually create a rift in your relationship.
If I were you, and this is "Just Me"... I'd talk with him about all of those issues and put it all on the table... leave nothing out, so that it's talked about and it can't be left open to slap you in the face later. Once it's been discussed, I'd think more on it and then make an informed decision. Remember though, it's your credit and your decision.

The other issue that sounds like it needs to be discussed is what are you two going to do in terms of marriage? You have just about everything in your name already... Don't you think it'll be safer for you and your daughter to make this relationship legitimate? You won't have anything to worry about if he marry's you, but if you get this car in your name and then things don't work out, you'll really be in trouble. You shouldn't be afraid about getting married to him (if you both love each other), you should be more afraid of being left with that mortgage and furniture all in your name only. Make it official and that way, you'll have to split the costs of everything you purchased together if you two break up.
I only mention that because if you don't want to get married and most likely feel that you never will.... Then No, I wouldn't put it in my name under any circumstances and you're not being unreasonable. However, if you think the two of you will eventually get married, then it's something to think about.
Do you two have a car other than his? If not, why not consider getting a car in your own name with your own credit. You mentioned that one of your reasons for not wanting to put it in his name was because you want the option left open if you decide to get a car of your own next year. Well, if you two are currently without a car, then maybe that time is now.
If your finances aren't the issue, you should consider it because the longer he is without a car, the more frustrated he'll become and he'll continue to hound you about it. Unfortunately, You're damed if you do and you're damed if you don't. Reason: "He can't get approved for a car with his credit, so he'll resent you for not putting it in his name even if he never mentions it. It may even turn into him feeling like you're trying to control the money in the relationship because you have everything under "Your" name. I'm not sure which of you makes the greater portion of your incomes, but it could fester into something really nasty and ugly. Men like to feel that they're in charge and running they're own show, but so far from what you've said, you have "MY" mortgage in "My" name, you have the furniture that was purchased on "Your" card and is therefore in "Your" name. Those things could come back and bite you later on. He could be asking so he can have something of his own in his own name that will make him feel more connected to the relationship. My brother went through this with his wife and it eventually blew up in their faces and they aren't together anymore. Everything was in her name because his credit was shot to pieces. He made the money, but until he got the credit straight, it didn't matter. As a result of her having everything in her name, they argued over those things and she referred to everthing as "Mine" or "Her's", not "Ours" and I've read you saying the exact samething.
These things are not done intentionally, it's just ends up
that way and when it does, you won't even remember how it happened.

Just some ideas of the possible outcome if you do or don't... Either way you're damed :) Unless he's extremely understanding and reasonable.

OH, if you do decide to do it... Get a promisory note as uncomfortable as it is to have to sit down and tell him "this is the only way you can do it"... It's vital.

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