credit card debts and terminal brain cancer diagnosis help!

Bloominbargains

Hello,

My husband has several credit cards but has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Is there any standard letters out there that I can send to get the interest stopped or attempt to write off the debt? We have no assets or estate, no life insurance etc.

I am in the midst of applying for PIP housing benefit etc for him but he is obviously worried about this debt hovering over him.

Any advice warmly welcomed.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6660292/credit-card-debts-and-terminal-brain-cancer-diagnosis-help

I don't want to sound morbid, but I will just say it: if he has no assets whatsoever, when he dies the debts will simply be written off then. How long are we talking here?

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6660292/credit-card-debts-and-terminal-brain-cancer-diagnosis-help

Debts are personal so were he to pass their claim would only be against his estate and if you say there is nothing in the estate they would get written off at that point. Some banks do encourage spouses etc to repay the debt but there is no legal obligation to do so.

Personally would avoid template letters like the plague, with a decade of customer service and complaints experience people respond much better to a personal communication from a customer than from a legalese filled stock letter that the sender clearly doesnt really understand and often are not well drafted.

People working these jobs become cynical as people tell all sorts of stories (one woman had phoned 5-6 times over a 4 year period declaring her mother had died "yesterday" and could she have a 3 month break in repayments. Clearly colleagues hadn't gone back to check as most had given her a payment break but I saw all the other claims and so said no). It's therefore best to back it up with some evidence. It doesnt need to be a full medical report, this isnt an insurance claim, but a short letter from a doctor confirming the terminal diagnosis will add legitimacy to your letter.

mta999

I personally would not do anything until after he passes. After that point you can inform the card companies of his death.

marcia_

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6660292/credit-card-debts-and-terminal-brain-cancer-diagnosis-help

as others say you are not obligated to pay the debt once he passes.
In the meantime time they will send letters just ignore them, try not to let their demands stress you out.

fatbelly

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6660292/credit-card-debts-and-terminal-brain-cancer-diagnosis-help

Yes, there's a general template here

https://nationaldebtline.org/get-information/sample-letters/write-off-debt/

Bear in mind they will ask for evidence, income/expenditure etc. If it's just credit cards you don't want to be wasting too much time on them

daveyjp

Sorry to hear about your situation, but don't worry about the debt.

When a friend was in a similar situation he told no one, spent all he had and made sure every card he had was maxed out before he passed.

Nasqueron

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81928573#Comment_81928573

Should prosecute him for fraud, oh wait…

Condolences for the upcoming loss OP, hope he lasts as long as you can have quality time with him

Once funeral costs are covered (if possible), and the estate has nothing left, the debts are written off, assuming nothing is joint (no such thing as a joint credit card in the UK)