If my boyfriend died of cancer and we’re never married but have a 7 year old daughter, can I be held responsible for his medical bills?
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If my boyfriend died of cancer and we’re never married but have a 7 year old daughter, can I be held responsible for his medical bills?
We also didn’t live together. He was at Veterans Administration hospice when he died but he has a medical bill from a hospital amounting to $104,000. I never signed anything at the hospital, am I responsible to shoulder the bill? He had no estate but has life insurance of 25k which he said to pay for the credit cards and other bills? Will the insurance money be taken to pay the hospital bills?
Asked on May 21, 2015 under Estate Planning, California
Answers:
Anne Brady / Law Office of Anne Brady
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
Life insurance can not be taken to pay bills of the deceased. It goes to the beneficiary, and that person decides what to do with it. If you are the beneficiary, then you can use it to pay the credit cards and whatever bills you choose. If your daughter is the beneficiary, the money will probably need to be placed in a trust for her. You are most likely not on the hook for the VA bill, unless your boyfriend had a will and left his assets to you and those assets can be used to pay the hospital bill.
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