If my father-in-law is currently in the hospital but has no savings with which to pay his medical bills. is it possible for his creditors to come after any other family members for this debt?

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If my father-in-law is currently in the hospital but has no savings with which to pay his medical bills. is it possible for his creditors to come after any other family members for this debt?

Additionally, he will end up in a rehab facility. None of us signed as a responsible party on any of the forms, however my husband’s name is on all of his father’s bank accounts, car loan, etc. We are concerned that they will be able to come after our accounts if the bills aren’t paid. Also, my husband and father have the same name, so we have been burned in the past by his debts hitting our credit reports, and that was a nightmare to get fixed.

Asked on January 28, 2013 under Bankruptcy Law, Arizona

Answers:

M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

First of all, family members do not inherit debt, unless of course they agreed to (e.g. they co-sign for a loan, etc). So as long as none of you signed as the responsible party, you should all be protected. As for any joint bank accounts, they can be taken but the any joint holders on these accounts do not open themselves up to any liability. The only liability that your husband may have is for the car loan; by being on the loan he agreed to be hedl reponsible for its repayment. At this oint, he may want to consult directly with a attorney.


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