Legal Question in Banking Law in Pennsylvania

Re: credit card debt

You asked about the debt of a deceased spouse.

My condolences on your loss.

Unfortunately there are a number issues such as this that will pop up in the future.

As long as you are not named on the account you personally are probably not responsible for the debt. But to the extent that your husband left any assets in his name, or if your assets are co-mingled (as is very common) you will have to come to some arrangement with the creditors. If you used the cards then you could be held liable for the debts to the extent you benefited from the account(s). Also, if he was responsible for most of the household purchases and recently bought durable goods (television, stove, washer/dryer) then those could be levied.

You need to settle your husband's estate. That will mean cashing in policies, changing the names on assets, and changing account names. You should seek the guidance of an estate attorney to help you through this time. Most of all, keep your head about you. People may come out of the woodwork seeking to have debts paid off that don't exist. Some scammers even go sa far as to bring goods to the door of a widow claiming that the deceased ordered those goods but did not pay for them. Of course it's expected that you will pay for them.

Again, my condolences.

Regards,

Roger