Do outstanding credit card bills have to be paid upon death?

nanto4

My husband is an executor to his late friend's will. His friend was obviously struggling financially just before he passed away unexpectedly, because he had been using his credit cards to fund his daily living. As he had no dependents (wife or children), he didn't have an Insurance policy to cover his mortgage and so the mortgage will be repaid from the sale of his house. Some of his credit card companies have implied that the debt has died with him but most are saying that the balances have to be cleared. Where does my husband stand with this? I seem to recall reading somewhere that people don't generally query credit card demands after death and just pay up, although it is not always necessary to do so. One final point - and the reason I am questioning this - is that recently a friend of mine lost her father and her mother didn't have to repay any of his credit card debts. If anybody could throw any light on this matter I would be grateful and if this has been answered before in the many, many previous posts, I apologise.

dzug

If there is money in the estate (ie from the sale of the house) to pay them, then the balances have to be paid.

If there is no money left, then they cannot chase anyone else for the debt - it does die with the person.

It is also possible that on some cards he may have been paying for payment protection which would clear the debt on death

Karl.H_2

As far as I know, you don't have to pay anything. The debt will be recovered from his possessions, so depending on the amount of the debt you won't get much from his will. So, DON'T PAY or SIGN A THING.

Paul_Herring

Where does my husband stand with this?

As executor, your husband must ensure that the credit cards are paid off with any surplice monies left in the estate after the secured creditors are paid. What's left (if anything) after all debts are paid off goes to the beneficiaries of the will.

I am questioning this - is that recently a friend of mine lost her father and her mother didn't have to repay any of his credit card debts.

Likely because there was no estate with which to pay them.