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    tsexton76's Avatar
    tsexton76 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Nov 6, 2009, 09:29 PM
    My Deceased Husband's Debt
    My husband died about a month ago and I have been going through our bills. He has no estate. He has some credit stuff that needs to be taken care of(that is in his name only. My name is not on anything.) Do I have to pay these bills?
    tsexton76's Avatar
    tsexton76 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #2

    Nov 6, 2009, 09:42 PM

    What are the statutes in CO?
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
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    #3

    Nov 6, 2009, 09:58 PM

    CO is not a community property state, but it is a marital property state. I am not a lawyer, but from what I can tell, you are not obliged to pay his credit card debts if your name is not on the cards.

    Did he have a will? Are you the executor of the will? (The executor may have some responsibility to settle his debts.) Do you have a lawyer? If not, I suggest you consult with one.
    tsexton76's Avatar
    tsexton76 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Nov 7, 2009, 06:30 PM
    There is no will and no estate, but we have a house in both names ,but still a large moragage on it,can his credtios came after the house?
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
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    #5

    Nov 7, 2009, 07:37 PM

    Was the house held as joint tenants with right of survivorship? If so, the house passed to you outside the estate, so its not subject to creditors.

    If he had no assets solely in his name, then just send the creditors a copy of the death certificate wit a letter stating there were no assets to pay any debts.
    ebaines's Avatar
    ebaines Posts: 12,131, Reputation: 1307
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    #6

    Nov 10, 2009, 12:26 PM

    Just to clarify - any bills that are solely in his name should be paid out of the assets of his estate - these bills are not your responsibility. Now, you say he had "no estate" - do you literally mean that he had no cash, no checking account, no savings account, no stocks or bonds, no cars, no jewelry, and no life insurance payable to his estate? If that's true, then indeed you do not need to pay any of his debts, as he had no assets to pay bills with. But, if he did in fact have assets like these, then the creditors can try to collect by coming after them.

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