A mortgage for divorced or separated buyers in Florida comes down to doing a handful of things in the right order: documenting your status, separating your credit, counting support payments correctly, resolving the old loan, and matching a program to your new situation. By the end of this guide you will know how to move from the old shared mortgage to closing on a new home. Before you start, gather your divorce decree or marital settlement agreement, two years of tax returns, recent pay stubs, and your latest statements for every debt, including the joint mortgage.
Step 1: Get Your Divorce or Separation Paperwork in Order
Collect the final judgment of dissolution of marriage and the marital settlement agreement, the document where you and your ex agreed on property division, support, and who pays which debt. Underwriters read both for alimony, child support, who keeps the house, and which debts were assigned to whom. If you are separated but not divorced, say so on day one. You will typically need to show the separation clearly, such as a signed separation agreement or a pending petition, and the file will be treated differently from a finalized divorce. Separated buyers can be approved, but the documentation burden is higher.
The most common mistake is assuming the decree removed your name from the old mortgage. It did not. A court can tell your ex to pay the loan, but the promissory note is a contract with the servicer, and it stays with the original borrowers until it is refinanced, assumed by someone else with servicer approval, or paid off. If your ex misses a payment, it can hit your credit and your name remains on the debt.
Then make the one decision that shapes everything else: will the marital home be sold, kept by you, or kept by your ex? Write the answer down. Steps 3 and 4 depend on it, and a quitclaim deed (a document that transfers a person’s ownership interest in the property) only changes title, not the loan.
Duane Buziak can review your documents and run a NoTouch Credit Pull, a soft credit pull mortgage check. Unlike a standard hard inquiry, it lets him see your credit profile without lowering your score, so you can see where you stand with a no credit hit mortgage application.
Step 2: Separate Your Credit and Check Your Scores Without a Hard Pull
Start with a list of every account that reports on your file: joint credit cards, authorized-user cards, auto loans, and the old mortgage. Next to each one, write who is legally responsible, regardless of what the decree says. Creditors follow the account agreement, not the court order.
Then work through the separation in this order:
- Open an individual checking account and move your direct deposit to it.
- Pay down or transfer balances on joint cards first. Freeze or close joint lines only after that, so you do not strand a balance in someone else’s name.
- Remove yourself as an authorized user where it no longer helps, and ask your ex to do the same on your accounts.
- Pull your reports and dispute errors, including accounts that were supposed to be closed.
Be careful with closing accounts. Closing a card reduces your total available credit, which can push up your utilization ratio, and it can lower the average age of your accounts. Sometimes it is better to keep a paid-off, long-standing card open.
A mortgage pre approval without hard pull lets you see your scores and options before any formal application. As of 2026, the process at Florida Mortgage Maestro by Duane Buziak uses Vantage Score 4.0 through a soft inquiry. Keep in mind that the scoring model a given loan program ultimately requires can differ, so treat the soft-pull numbers as a strong planning guide, not a final underwriting score.
Finally, keep watching. If the decree assigned a joint debt to your ex and they stop paying, your score takes the hit. Check your reports regularly until those accounts are closed or refinanced.
Step 3: Count Support Payments Correctly in Your Income and DTI
Debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is your total monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income. Alimony or child support you pay counts as a monthly debt. Support you receive can count as income if it is documented and likely to continue, commonly for at least three years after closing under typical agency guidelines. Because Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, and VA each set their own details, Duane Buziak confirms current rules for your program before counting it.
Typical documentation includes the decree showing the amount and end date, plus proof of consistent receipt, often six to twelve months of bank statements. A payment that is about to end within the continuance window may not count at all.
Here is an illustration only, using hypothetical numbers. Suppose your gross income is $6,500 a month. You pay $900 in support, $350 in car and card payments, and the proposed housing payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance) is $1,800.
- Housing-only ratio: $1,800 ÷ $6,500 = about 27.7%
- Total debts: $1,800 + $900 + $350 = $3,050
- Back-end DTI: $3,050 ÷ $6,500 = about 46.9%
That is near the upper range many programs will consider, and approval depends on credit, reserves, and the automated underwriting findings. If you instead received $900 in qualifying support, it would raise your income to $7,400 and the same $2,150 in housing and other debts would be roughly 29%.
Florida helps here in a concrete way. With no state income tax, more of each paycheck stays available for housing costs, which supports your real ability to carry the payment, though underwriters still calculate DTI on gross income. When you compare your payment against different scenarios, the CFPB mortgage calculator is a useful free check.
Step 4: Decide What to Do With the Existing Mortgage
You have three paths: refinance into one name, sell the home, or leave the departing spouse on the loan. The third is the riskiest for the person leaving. A note you no longer live under still counts as a monthly debt on your next purchase, which can erase your DTI room. Underwriters may exclude it only when you can document that someone else is legally making the payments, and that usually means a refinance or assumption, not just a line in the decree.
Refinance to buy out your ex
If you are keeping the home, a refinance in your name alone removes your ex from the note and can fund an equity buyout. Duane Buziak can shop hundreds of wholesale sources at one time, and cash-out refinances go up to 90% loan-to-value. Program limits change, so confirm the current maximum for your loan type and occupancy.
Assumption
Some FHA and VA loans can be assumed, which can preserve a lower existing rate. The servicer must approve it, and the assuming borrower has to qualify. Verify the current rules with your servicer and at VA.gov for VA loans.
Homestead exemption
Under Florida Statute 196.031, a permanent resident’s primary home qualifies for a homestead exemption that reduces assessed value by up to $50,000 for property taxes. It applies only to the owner’s permanent residence, and a new owner typically will not see it in the first year after purchase, since you apply after you own and occupy the home. Confirm current figures and the application process with your county property appraiser.
Step 5: Choose the Loan Program That Fits Your New Situation
Different programs treat credit, down payment, and support income differently. This comparison reflects general terms as of 2026; confirm current details before relying on it.
- Conventional: Down payment often starts around 3% for eligible first-time buyers, higher for others. Best credit tends to get the best pricing. Documented support can count as income with a continuance period. Best fit: stronger scores and stable income.
- FHA: Minimum down payment is typically 3.5% with qualifying credit. More flexible on lower scores. Support income counts when documented and expected to continue. Best fit: scores that dropped during the split.
- VA: Often no down payment for eligible borrowers. Flexible credit standards, with residual income rules. Support income is considered when documented. Best fit: eligible veterans and service members, including some surviving spouses.
- Florida DPA-paired loan: Pairs a first mortgage with a second for down payment help (for example FL Assist or FL HLP). Requires meeting program credit, income, and homebuyer rules. Best fit: buyers who lack cash after the divorce.
Veterans should check VA eligibility. Salute Our Soldiers is a Florida Housing program for eligible veterans and service members; verify its current terms at floridahousing.org.
If your scores slipped during the split, FHA is often the flexible-credit option worth pricing. The point is not to pick a favorite program in advance. Duane Buziak acts as a broker comparing options across many wholesale sources instead of selling a single product, so the same documents can be priced under several programs and you see the real payment difference.
Step 6: Use Florida Down Payment Assistance If You Qualify
Many divorced buyers are treated as first-time buyers under program definitions, usually if they have not owned a primary residence in the past three years. Some programs also have exceptions, such as for displaced homemakers or similar situations. Florida Housing sets the exact definition, so read the current rules at floridahousing.org before assuming you do or do not qualify.
As of 2026, the two common second-mortgage options are:
- FL Assist: up to $10,000 as a 0% deferred second mortgage.
- FL HLP: up to $10,000 as a 3% second mortgage, amortizing over 15 years.
Verify the amounts and terms with Florida Housing before you rely on them. Income limits vary by county and household size. Look up your county on the HUD Income Limits dataset and compare it to your qualifying income.
DPA often comes with a slightly higher first-mortgage rate, so run a three-variable breakeven: rate premium, DPA amount, and how long you will own. These are illustrative assumptions on a $300,000 loan:
- Rate premium: 0.375% higher. Interest on $300,000 is about $1,125 more in the first year (0.375% × $300,000), slightly less as the balance falls. Call it roughly $1,100 a year.
- DPA amount: $10,000 toward the down payment.
- Timeline: over 5 years, extra interest is about $5,500, so the $10,000 comes out ahead by roughly $4,500. Over 10 years, extra interest is about $10,500, which roughly erases the benefit.
The takeaway: if you expect to sell or refinance within about eight to nine years, the assistance likely wins. If you will hold the loan much longer, you may do better with a larger down payment from other funds. A deferred second also has to be repaid at sale or refinance, so factor that in. Your real numbers will differ.
Step 7: Check Flood Risk, Get Pre-Approved, and Move to Closing
Before making an offer, look up the property at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. A home in a high-risk flood zone usually requires flood insurance, and that premium adds to your monthly payment and your DTI. Checking first prevents a surprise after you have fallen in love with a house.
Next, get a mortgage pre approval without hard pull. A no hard inquiry mortgage pre approval from Duane Buziak shows what you can borrow while keeping your score intact. Then work with a realtor to make offers. Realtor referrals are available if you need one.
As closing approaches, expect this checklist:
- Pay off or retitle joint debts as the decree directs.
- Bring the recorded judgment and marital settlement agreement.
- Prepare letters of explanation for items underwriters question, such as a recent separation of accounts or support changes.
- Respond quickly to document requests. Fast close times are possible when the file is complete, but no timeline is guaranteed.
Avoid two mistakes between pre-approval and closing: opening any new credit (a furniture financing offer counts), and making large deposits you cannot explain. Underwriters trace deposits, and money from an ex-spouse or a sale needs a paper trail.
Step 8: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a mortgage while still separated? Yes, in many cases. You will need to document your status and any shared debts, and the requirements depend on the program.
Can I buy before the divorce is final? Often yes, though title and the marital interest can complicate it. Expect extra documentation, and consider legal advice first.
Does my ex’s name on the old loan hurt me? It can. The payment may count in your DTI unless you can document that someone else is legally paying it, usually by refinance or assumption.
Is alimony accepted as income? Often, if it is documented, consistently received, and expected to continue (commonly three years or more). Confirm current program rules.
How much down payment do I need? It ranges from 0% on some VA loans to about 3% to 3.5% on conventional and FHA, as of 2026, with higher amounts in some cases.
Does shopping hurt my credit? Not with a soft pull. Duane Buziak’s NoTouch Credit Pull lets you compare options without a hard inquiry first.
Can I use FHA or VA? Yes, if you meet the eligibility and property requirements. VA requires qualifying service, and FHA has its own limits and mortgage insurance.
Can I get down payment assistance? Possibly. Florida programs like FL Assist and FL HLP have income, credit, and homebuyer rules that must be verified at floridahousing.org.
Step 9: Start With a Soft-Pull Consultation
The next move is a conversation with your documents in hand. A soft-pull review shows your scores, your DTI with support payments counted correctly, and which programs fit before anything touches your credit.
Your dream home in Florida is closer than you think. Let’s turn your homeownership goals into reality with a personalized mortgage solution designed for your unique journey. Get your credit-safe consultation today and discover the loan options that fit your life, backed by trusted guidance every step of the way.