If my father passed away and had credit cards in his name only, is my mother liable for those charges?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my father passed away and had credit cards in his name only, is my mother liable for those charges?
I also wanted to know about my father’s medical and dental bills that are outstanding. Is my mom liable for these charges? How do I proceed?
Asked on April 11, 2012 under Estate Planning, North Carolina
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
I am so sorry for your loss. Generally speaking, your Father's estate is responsible for his debt. But if the credit card was your Father's alone and your Mother was not a joint account holder (and by that I mean did not sign the credit card agreement, even if she is an authorized uses) she is not personally responsible for the debt. That may not hold true, however, for the medical and dental bills. Under the doctrine of necessities spouses can be held personally liable. Please seek help. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.