Debt and Estate

[AccokeekJeff]

From the State of Maryland. My wife died in May, 1999. Found out that one of the credit cards we had was in her name only. I stopped paying on the card and recieved a notice to her estate. There was no estate ever established. She never had a will and nothing was ever filed. Do I need to do anything? Can they come after me? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[ALawyer]

Unless you had credit card life insurance (many people do; it's built in to the cards, often for an extra fee per month -- and the credit card insurance companies try to deny claims without any basis and hope people go away) her debts did not die with her.

To the extent she had any assets, and you took them, you're liable to the credit card company for the value of the assets you took. If you used her card after her death, then you are also liable.