Even though Carmella Garcia and her estranged husband, former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia, have been separated for roughly six years, the exes are still married today. On The Real Housewives of Orange County, the new Season 20 cast member explained why she and Jeff never divorced, referring to their financial arrangement involving her career as a real estate agent and developer.
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The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.
“Jeff and I have stayed legally tied for business purposes,” Carmella said in a confessional from RHOC‘s supersized Season 20 finale. “When I do development projects, I’m using funds that are both of ours, to be able to make more money.”
On The Real Housewives of Orange County After Show for Episode 17, Carmella added that staying married to Jeff has also allowed her to “protect” the assets that their four kids — Presley, 18, Jason, 17, Jax, 15, and Faith, 14 — will eventually inherit.
“Ultimately what we have is going to go to our children,” she said on the RHOC After Show. “So, I get very sensitive when that is threatened. I’m sure he does want to get divorced at a certain point, but…”
RELATED: Carmella Garcia Shares Updates on Her Kids and Co-Parenting With Her Ex-Husband (EXCLUSIVE)
Are Carmella and Jeff Garcia planning on filing for divorce?
Yes. As Carmella explained to a RHOC producer, “When my youngest graduates high school, within the next four years, we will legally get a divorce and divide what we have now built up together.” However, Carmella added on the After Show that she’s hoping to extend that timeline by a few more years to when her and Jeff’s youngest daughter graduates from college, instead.
“I think college would be more appropriate,” Carmella said. “So, if, like, none of them graduate, then he’s stuck with me.”
When Carmella and Jeff do eventually divorce, she added that still wants to make sure that they have a legal agreement in place to preserve their children’s future inheritance. “I do think that there should be something in place that half of his half is locked for our kids, so that if he gets remarried and in the event that he were to get divorced, that person can’t take half of his half,” the RHOC ‘Wife elaborated.
Carmella continued, “I would do the same. I would be willing to sign the same [paperwork] that he signs. If I were to get remarried, my 25 percent of that, that person cannot touch. But I’m not getting remarried. … Â It’s too much liability.”
RELATED: RHOC Season 20 Reunion: Everything to Know (Seating Chart, Spoilers & More)
Carmella Garcia opens up about her dynamic with ex Jeff Garcia
After Jeff stopped by the home Carmella was sharing with then-boyfriend Danny Hampel during RHOC‘s Oct. 29 episode to discuss a pending “investment deal,” she shared more details about their dynamic, including how their personalities tend to balance each other out.
“Jeff and I are a good team,” Carmella said in a producer interview. “I’m, like, a little uptight here, and he’s probably a little loose here. We give our kids the best of both worlds. He’s more fun than I am. I think that makes me jealous.”
As she further detailed on the RHOC After Show, “I was with Jeff from the time that I was, like, a kid on. Like, I met him at 21 years old, and so we have so much history together. I will protect that man until the day I die. I love him.”
Carmella went on to say, “He’s the father of my children. And as much as we had a falling out with our marriage, I do believe that he is a good person. And he is a good dad, and I love him for that. And, you know, there were times that he did not protect me, but I feel like he trusts in me with our children and with our finances and our business. And I don’t want to let him down.”
Don’t miss a sneak peek at what’s ahead for Carmella on the RHOC Season 20 reunion.
