Divorce related - HDB and child custody

[SMarshall]

Hi All, i’m a PR mummy with two kids (2&5yo). i’m planning to get a divorce with my husband soon. our marriage is 6 years old and our HDB is only 3 years old. im currently unemployed, so i wonder is it possible for me to keep the house if he agreed to give me his share. Husband didn’t really contribute to house loan other than the grant given by gov (25k). all these while the loan mainly contributed thru my cpf and our joined account (my salary goes in there, he will on and off put in money). i’m a pr since 2014 so my cpf got little money plus i been unemployed for more than 6 months so it’s really empty soon... i’m trying to get a job asap (i was a customer experience manager) but no luck so far... i even get MP referral to e2i but still no news. i plan to get divorce in july cos i don’t wish to drag anymore... he currently no longer staying with us. i’m taking care of the kids alone now...

my questions:
1. is the HDB loan have to be refinanced under my name alone? possible to get loan if i just started work for less than 3 months?
2. if i cant keep the house, what are the options i have?
3. i don’t mind he gets the child custody, but how can i protect them and myself? meaning, is there anyway, i can still care for them and be there for them without his control?

thank you for reading. please contribute your best answer to help me on this.

 

[Cindy Tay]

First, if not wrong, HDB under 5 yrs you can only sell back to HDB, than took/buy over the shares. Of course in some cases, you can get MP help to have you to take over, or sell in open market, but that's only possibility if the HDB is near 5yrs.

Let's say HDB agreed and allow you to take over, as long as you are able to pay the deposit fee (Now I think 10%?) down, and monthly installment, HDB should allow you to take over. But again, as you only started for work for like 3 months, the loan approved may not be that much as of what you expected.

For question 2, as mentioned, if can't keep the house, can only sell back to HDB since it's less than 5 yrs old.

You can go for Joint Custody, and Sole C&C. This way both have the custody, and while you have the C&C for the child. If Joint C&C, he can don't pay for the child's maintenance... Hence minimum Joint C&C is required.