Not sure if this is the best place to get an answer, but I imagine others have had to deal with this before.

I'm wonder what the impact of a late payment on non-credit based accounts, like electricy, water, and other utilities, have on your credit score.

I don't see anything that says it does, however, I don't want to take a chance. Perhaps you have to be over 60 days late or something.

I would guess it would effect your credit history with the particular company. If you missed several payments, I'd imagine they wouldn't do business with you anymore.

The reason I ask is that during my separation, my W is living in the house, and most of the utilities are in my name. The bills come to me, then I give them to her to pay. However, she has been late paying a bill several times. So I'm not liking how this system is going, if it's going to hurt me credit wise. I'd rather just pay the bill myself, and subtract the payment from child support (unofficial).

However, I don't want to cause unneccessary conflict, nor have even the appearance that I am not support my kids. I could also simply cut off these utilities, and let them open up accounts her name.

Any REPORTED late pays are going to impact your credit scores. The question is do they report and to whom.

Not every debt is reported to every credit reporting agency.

Perhaps what you need is an agreement signed off by the judge that during the legal separation, these are the bills she is liable for, and if she doesn't pay them, she can be held in contempt of court, or that you can "garnish" the child support, etc.

Why are you paying support if she's living in the same household? Why not bring that to the judge and say she wants a divorce, she's living at home, so you are already supporting her and the children. You had an agreement she would pay certain bills and she's been late on them, you want to amend any support order in light of this circumstance given her proven unwillingness to pay in a timely fashion.

By taking her handling of money out the equation, it will not take up any more the courts time dealing with matters that should have been handled by an allegedly responsible adult such as your wife.

Tell the judge you are willing to support your children, but if your wife is not willing to be a partner in the marriage and work with you, you'd like her taken out of the equation when it comes to primary custody, child support, etc.

Heck, if you don't want her there, ask the judge to send her packing, and you and the kids will get along fine without her there day to day, nor do you want/need her to pay support (if that's what you want.)

If she doesn't want to be a wife to you, why should she influence the children, teaching them vows don't matter, etc.

That is, assuming she's the one who is having or hand an affair or just wants to end the marriage.

I think that's your case, but I'm not 100% certain.

She is the one who wants the divorce, but we are on good terms. We do not live together, I have an apartment. I'm fine with her living in the house, not indefinitely of course.

In general, she is responsible, but very bad at paying bills for some reason. I think I'm going to let her know how important my credit is to me, and give her the option of giving up the bills or making sure they are on time. I don't want to involve the lawyers, but he choses to let me pay the bills, I'll need to do that so the record shows that I've met my requirements for financial support.