Can you refuse to pay a deceased relative's debt?
Summary
When a person dies, their debts do not automatically pass to their family members. Instead, the debts are paid from the deceased person's estate, which is the money and property they left behind. Family members usually are not responsible for paying these debts unless certain exceptions apply.Key Facts
- A deceased person’s debt is paid from their estate, not by family members personally.
- If the estate does not have enough money or assets, the debt is generally forgiven and the creditor loses that money.
- Family members are only responsible if they co-signed the loan or were joint account holders.
- Authorized users on credit cards usually do not have to pay the debt.
- Some state laws may make a surviving spouse responsible for certain debts.
- If you inherit property with a mortgage, you must keep paying that mortgage to keep the property.
- Debt collectors can only contact the estate’s executor about the debt, not other relatives, except to find out who the executor is.
- You can legally tell debt collectors to stop contacting you if they wrongly make you feel responsible for a deceased relative’s debt.
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