SPOUSE DEBIT: AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE DEBITS?

[Unregistered]

MY HUSBAND PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER. THERE WAS NO ESTATE. THE ONLY THING HE OWNED WAS OUR HOUSE WHICH IS JOINT. WE EACH HAD OUR OWN CREDIT CARDS. SOME OF HIS HAD INSURANCE AND WERE PAID OFF THERE ARE 3 OTHERS, 2 OF WHICH I WAS AN AUTHORIZED USER, I ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF MY OWN CARDS THAT HAD NO INSURANCE. AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE DEBITS? I LIVE IN QUEENS, NEW YORK.

PLEASE HELP THEY ARE CALLING ME.

[Unregistered]

re: SPOUSE DEBIT: AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE DEBITS?

You are normally not responsible if there was no estate and no assets to pay creditors...

[In most cases, married couples own their homes as tenants by the entirety, meaning that if one spouse dies, the other automatically inherits the house without having to go to probate court.

If you live in a community property state--not NY, any credit card debt your deceased spouse owed is now your responsibility, even if the account was in his name only. ]