	How to Prepare for the Death of a Loved One
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What Happens to Your Debts When You Die?

Just like your money, you can’t take your debt with you when you die (at least in most cases). Unfortunately, your survivors may have the burden of dealing with creditors and lenders who want to collect their money after your death.

Several factors determine what happens to your credit card debt after you die. In most cases credit card debt is paid for through the estate of the decedent, meaning that if you have credit card debt at the time of your death, assets held in your estate will be used to pay off the debt. If there is not enough money in the estate to cover credit card bills, the credit card company will end up taking the hit and writing off the unpaid debt.

There are two situations where your debt can be passed onto another person. If the credit card account was a joint account that was shared with another person such as a spouse or business partner, that person would be legally responsible for paying off the debt instead of your estate. This applies to anyone who signed the application, but does not applied to authorized credit card users who had charging privileges but did not apply for the credit originally. The second situation occurs in states that employ community property laws. They include Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. Depending on the laws in each state, the surviving spouse may be responsible for the credit card debt of their deceased partner even if they held a separate account.
Other debts.

Similar to credit card debt, most other debts held in the decedents name only will be paid from assets in their estate. In the case of secured debt, if the assets do not cover the debt, the property may be sold or repossessed to cover the debt. In the case of accounts held jointly with another person, the surviving account holder will be responsible for any remaining debt.
How should accounts be handled after a death?

After a death it is important that all creditors are notified of the account holders passing. Without being notified, they have no way of knowing about a death and will continue to pile on fees and penalties for payments not made on time. This can increase the amount of debt that will eventually be paid out of the estate, reducing the inheritance of beneficiaries. In most cases the person handling the estate will be responsible for notifying creditors and providing copies of the death certificate. You also want to protect yourself from unscrupulous creditors who may try to get money from you which they are not legally entitled to.

This is for informational purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. You should consult an attorney for expert legal advice. SimpleWills.net advises that you seek the help of an Elder Law Attorney to assist you in developing a solid plan.

Tags: Can You Inherit Credit Card Debt?



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