Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Maine

Paying Deceased's Medical Bills

Is a wife responsible for paying a deceased husbands medical bills if everything they owned was owned jointly and nothing was in his name alone. What about Medical bills incured in Boston MA. Would Maine law apply to those medical bills. If the wife is not responsible, how would she go about notifying the hospitals and collection agencys that she is not responsible for the bills incured by her deceased husband? What would she need to do?


Asked on 1/07/07, 8:36 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jerome Gamache Ainsworth Thelin & Raftice, P.A.

Re: Paying Deceased's Medical Bills

A spouse is not personally liable for the other spouse's debts unless he/she agrees to be jointly responsible. However, if a spouse dies, then creditors will be able to make claims against assets of the estate. However, the extent to which estate claims would be satisfied can only be determined if an estate is actually opened, usually with an attorney. My office does do this type of work, as do others. Maine law would still apply to medical bills incurred in Mass.

Read more
Answered on 1/08/07, 5:25 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Probate, Trusts, Wills & Estates questions and answers in Maine