if a married couple have their own credit card accts. and 1 dieds. can the living spouse be held responsible?

Question

the credit card company wants a copy of death cert. and ss#.

the living spouse cannot get any details from the credit card comp about the acct, but they want her to send them info about the deceased.

Answer 1

I'm not an attorney but I can tell you this....don't do anything until you check with an attorney.

First off. A credit card company has the SSN of the deceased person - it was part of the application process, or at least they have access to the information through one of the three credit reporting companies. Don't volunteer anything. AND certainly don't provide your information. They can get a copy of the Death Certificate, they just want you to do the running around and pay the fee.

Secondly, if the card is soley in the deceased person's name, then techically that person's estate is responsible for payment of the debt.

Thirdly, how the dead person's estate is divided and how the bills/inheritances are paid up depends on if they died with a Will or without a Will. As a spouse, you may have a specific monetary share of the estate that comes out of the inheritance pot FIRST, before any other debts are paid (credit card, bills from their last illness, etc.). The order the people and businesses are paid after the spouse depends on the Will and your state's laws. This is why it is important to have an attorney.

Finally, get a Lawyer. It will save you a lot of hassle, money, and worth the money you'll pay to make sure that everything is done correctly and that you get to keep as much money as possible. It could be that once the credit card company finds out an Estate has been opened in court and if the amount owing on the card is small enough, they won't pursue the debt OR possibly the attorney can negotiate the debt to a lesser amount.

If the person died without a Will, pay for an attorney consulation. It may be free or a nominal charge ($50-$100). The lawyer can tell you if you have to provide the Death Certificate and SNN and advise you of your rights.

GOOD LUCK

Answer 2

That would depend on a couple of things:

Which state they're in; if the credit card accounts were opened before marriage or after.

Better get a probate/estate attorney to handle it. A card company can't harass the estate during a probate proceeding- they'd have to file a creditor's claim, etc. and be notified that way.

Answer 3

If the credit cards were held jointly, the answer is yes. If they are separate the responsibility would be to the deceased persons estate.

Answer 4

A spouse is usually responsible for debts owed by the deceased---or they'll charge it to "the estate" which amounts to the same thing.

Answer 5

You need to consult an attorney about your rights. As far as the credit card company goes, they are within their rights to request a death certificate and other information they need.

Answer 6

decrease than Philippines regulations, no different than while the different better half had signed as surety for the reported credit. verify the regulation acceptable to you or a minimum of verify the words and prerequisites of the credit rfile you signed. wish this helps.