Women's Health February 28, 2026 0 Comments

Divorced and Broke? Suze Orman’s Secret Weapon to Rebuild Your Credit Faster Than a Champion’s Comeback!

Divorce—sometimes it hits like a thunderclap, scrambling everything in its path, especially your finances. It’s like being thrown into the ring again with your money, except this time, it’s a whole new fight. You might be wondering, “Can I really bounce back from this financial knockout?” Well, here’s some straight talk from financial powerhouse Suze Orman: if you built your credit once, you can absolutely do it again. No fluff, no fairy tales—just real strategies and mindset shifts that will have you not only rebuilding your credit score but reclaiming your power. Ready to step back into the ring and come out the champion of your own finances? Let’s get it done. LEARN MORE

Going through a divorce can feel like starting over from scratch—especially when it comes to your finances. But financial expert Suze Orman,the host of the Women & Money podcast and author of The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+, wants you to know something important: If you built your credit once, you can absolutely do it again. In this empowering Q&A, she shares the mindset shifts and practical steps you need to rebuild your credit score—and your confidence—after divorce.

Q: I recently went through a divorce—what steps can I take to rebuild my credit and grow my savings?

SUZE: When you say you want to rebuild your credit score and reclaim your power, I hear something important: At one point, you had good credit. At one point, you felt powerful. Something happened—maybe money was part of it, maybe it wasn’t. But here’s what I know for sure: If you did it once, you can do it again. Before we talk about credit scores, it’s important to do three things:

1. Stand in your truth

Your self-worth is not defined by your net worth. A low credit score has nothing to do with who you are. Real power doesn’t come from a bank account—it comes from reconnecting to the source of yourself: your values, your purpose and the goals that matter most to you. That is the key to true, lasting wealth.

2. Don’t let the past define you

Rebuilding your credit is actually the easy part. The hard part is giving yourself enough credit to know that you have what it takes to create the life you deserve—and the life you want—on your own. You’ve been through hard things and overcome them. You can do exactly that again.

3. Silence your fears

Woman on a computer — Inside Creative House/Getty

Anxiety loses its power when you replace it with a new truth. For example, if your fear is, “I feel insecure,” your new truth is, “I am more powerful and financially secure than ever.” Say it out loud, 30 times, every time fear shows up. Retrain your mind, and I promise you, your money will follow.

Now, the practical part: My forever rule is that after the loss of a loved one, through death or divorce, you’re to do nothing with your money for six months to a year, other than paying off debt.

Next, pull all three credit reports. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and get them for free. Review every line, making sure your name is not on any credit cards or loans connected to an ex.

Finally, if needed, open a secured credit card. You’ll deposit a few hundred dollars, use it for one small recurring expense and pay it in full every month. Over time, your credit will rebuild. Go one step at a time. You’re not just rebuilding your credit—you’re rebuilding you.

This story first appeared in the March 9, 2026, issue of Woman’s World magazine.

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