This article attempts to explain who pays your credit card debt when you meet your maker. Although the author stated it is rare for credit card companies to try to get family members to pay debts of deceased family members, it isn’t true in many cases. If you are a spouse, they will try to get the money from you regardless of whether there is money in the estate or whether you are a joint account holder on the card. Of course, being married, most spouses automatically assume that they are liable, which is the reason creditors try to squeeze it out of you. If you are in this situation, don’t rely on a creditor to tell you your rights. That’s not their concern. Their only concern is get the money from you. The smart thing for you to do is call an experienced debt settlement attorney. We have successfully negotiated large reductions in credit card balances for widows and widowers left with credit card debt after the unexpected death of their spouse.
July 6, 2012