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The Daily Insight Hub

Is a spouse responsible for credit card debt in Michigan?

Author

Jackson Reed

Updated on February 14, 2026

As Michigan is not a community property state, if a loan or credit card was held only in the name of the deceased spouse, the surviving spouse is not responsible for the debt. Even one late payment can affect your credit score.

Does a spouse inherit medical debt?

In most cases, the deceased person’s estate is responsible for paying any debt left behind, including medical bills. If there’s not enough money in the estate, family members still generally aren’t responsible for covering a loved one’s medical debt after death — although there are some exceptions.

When my husband dies Am I responsible for his debt?

Am I Responsible for My Deceased Spouse’s Debt? When your spouse dies, their debt survives, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re responsible for paying it. The debt of a deceased person is paid from their estate, which is simply the sum of all the assets they owned at death.

What happens to credit card debt after a spouse dies?

If a spouse dies and a credit card company from a non-joint account tries to force the sale of a family home to pay off a debt, the surviving spouse should contact a lawyer. If there’s not enough money in the deceased spouse’s estate to pay off his or her credit card debt, the credit card company usually writes off the debt.

Who is responsible for credit card debt in Michigan?

As Michigan is not a community property state, if a loan or credit card was held only in the name of the deceased spouse, the surviving spouse is not responsible for the debt. In addition, if you are listed as an authorized user or second account holder on the accounts of the deceased,…

Can a spouse be liable for a debt in Michigan?

If you and your spouse are Michigan residents and were residents when you incurred the debt, then the rule I just outlined applies to you. However, if you resided in a community property state then more complex rules apply.

Who is jointly liable to the creditor in Michigan?

Generally speaking, if both spouses sign a debt agreement both are jointly liable to the creditor. However, if only one spouse signed the agreement, then depending on which state the agreement was signed or where the spouses now live, the non-signing spouse may have liability. You mentioned you reside in Michigan.