Am I financially responsible for a debt that was designated my ex-wifes in our divorce decree?

  Unfortunately, your settlement agreement, whether arrived at by joint consent or court order, has no impact on your creditors.  If you were on the loan for the BMW prior to the divorce, unless she refinanced it, you are still on the loan. That being said, oftentimes a divorce decree / settlement agreement will have some sort of indemnification or hold harmless language in it like the following: Husband shall have sole ownership and possession of the vehicles in his possession.  Husband shall be solely responsible for the upkeep of, maintenance of, insurance on and all payments, when due, on such vehicles, relieving Wife of any obligation whatsoever.  Husband shall hold Wife harmless for and fully indemnify Wife of any liability with respect to said indebtedness.  While this type of language won't get you off the hook with the creditor, it does help to establish a cause of action for you to go after your ex for the damages she's caused.