Debts Passed On To Relatives?
Is it true that your financial debts can be passed on to relatives if you die?
I have heard that they cannot, but I know debtors indeed do try to collect on it. When my father-in-law died, they came after my mother-in-law for his debt even though her name wasn't even on any of the contracts. She was actually taken to court over several of them, but ultimately she didn't have to pay them.
It depends on where you live, but ultimately the debts of the deceased are paid from their estate - if anything is left over after paying funeral expenses and bequests from the will. The surviving spouse is responsible only for debts incurred jointly, I think.
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