Who inherits your credit card debt when you die?
Sarah Martinez
Updated on January 22, 2026
After someone has passed, their estate is responsible for paying off any debts owed, including those from credit cards. Relatives typically aren’t responsible for using their own money to pay off credit card debt after death.
What debt is forgiven when you die?
credit card debt
Unfortunately, credit card debt does not just disappear when you die. Usually, the deceased’s estate pays the credit card debt from the estate’s assets. Typically, children do not inherit the credit card debt — unless they are a joint holder on the account.
What happens to credit card dues after death?
What happens to credit card debt on death? The bank or the financial institution in question has to file a civil suit for recovery and then the legal representative of the card holder has to make good the payment from the property of the deceased person.
Do I have to pay my deceased husband’s credit card bills?
In most cases you will not be responsible to pay off your deceased spouse’s debts. As a general rule, no one else is obligated to pay the debt of a person who has died. If there is a joint account holder on a credit card, the joint account holder owes the debt.
Do you have to pay deceased parents credit card debt?
A: In most cases, children are not responsible for their parents’ debts after they pass away. However, if you are a joint account holder on any credit cards or loans, you would be liable for paying off the amounts due.
Do credit card companies know when you die?
Credit card companies will report the death to the credit bureaus, but it may not happen immediately. If you don’t want to wait, you can report the death to the three major consumer credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) yourself.
Am I responsible for my mother’s credit card debt when she dies?
Relatives Usually Aren’t Responsible for the Deceased’s Bills. In most cases, no one inherits someone else’s debt. You can’t be forced to pay a bill unless you and the creditor have a contract. As such, being a son or daughter isn’t enough to make you liable for your mother’s unpaid obligations.
Who is responsible for paying off credit card debt after death?
After someone has passed, their estate is responsible for paying off any debts owed, including those from credit cards. Relatives typically aren’t responsible for using their own money to pay off credit card debt after death.
What happens if you have a credit card debt?
It’s possible that an estate will have to sell the home to pay credit card bills and other debts. However, state law determines what actions are available to creditors. In many cases, local courts decide if the estate needs to sell a home or if liens can be placed on the home.
What happens to credit card debt when a cosigner dies?
If you cosign and the borrower dies, you’re generally required to repay debt. There might be a few exceptions (for example, the death of a student loan borrower might trigger a discharge—or other complications), but cosigners should always be willing and able to repay a loan.
What happens to your money when you die?
Your estate is everything that you own when you die, such as money in bank accounts, real estate, and other assets. After death, your estate will be settled, meaning anybody you owe has the right to get paid from your estate, and then any remaining assets will be transferred to your heirs.