What do we pay?

[superultrablue]

What is the name of your state? GA

I am sure this is a common question for this forum, but I need to know what our rights and responsibilities are.

My mother-in-law just passed away and she left...

A joint checking and savings account with her daughter (my wife). One credit card debt and medical bills from the hospitalization that occurred just prior to her death.

We need to know if we are responsible to pay for her medical bills and to pay off her credit card debt. Can any legal action be taken against us if we do not pay since the savings and checking account are joint accounts with my wife. And what we should do with the account she held with my wife. Also what or where is a good starting point to find more detailed answers than will be available here?

Can we simply write off all of her mothers debts after closing her accounts?

 

[GaAtty]

GaAtty

You are not supposed to do anything, unless you are the executor of her estate, as appointed by her will. If she did not have a will, then one of her children needs to go to the probate court of the county in which she lived when she died and file the appropriate papers to be administrator. Once there is an adminstrator (or executor, if there is a will), then THAT person deals with all the bills. It is ONLY that person's job to pay the bills. If you are not that person, you do not have any legal right to "write off" her bills. Of course, if you just want to pay them, go ahead, but it is not your responsibility. So find out who is going to do this, and give the bills to them. They will know what to do. As for the joint account, the exectutor or administrator will deal with that, too. As far as who you turn to for questions, find an attorney who does estate or probate law.