Legal Question in Family Law in Illinois

Death of a parent
My father passed away 5 mo. Ago and he owed the irs aprox. 50,000 usd in unpaid income taxes, aprox. 10,000 usd in unpaid property taxes, an open home loan aprox 179,000usd and no will. I need to know if i am able to assume reponsibility for the home and if i do so will i then be responsible for the other debt as stated above? He also had some unpaid medical bills that are currently come in the mail. I need some answers on what to do very soon because i have been afraid to contact the mortgage lender to avoid assuming responsibiliy on accident or verbaly and not realizing it just by trying to get my questions answered. I desperately need to find out what i should do very soon because i am afraid that since i am not currently paying the monthly mortgage that the house will soon go into forclose and i do not want to lose my dads house just because i am uninformed and unknowledgeable in these matters. Please help!!!

Asked on 1/27/09, 5:16 am

2 Answers from Attorneys

Michael R. Nack Michael R. Nack, Attorney at Law

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Re: Death of a parent

First, let me express my sympanthies at the loss of your parent. The lawyer who responded previously is correct, if brief. You are not going to become liable for the repayment of any of those debts. You may be able to save the house depending upon various factors that you will discuss with the attorney you hire. If you do not know a good probate attorney, you may call me and I will try to refer you to one. The important thing is to consult with an attorney as soon as possible. Good luck.

Answered on 1/27/09, 11:21 pm

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