If I’m a secondary on a credit card with my mother and she passes, can I continue to pay off the charges or does it get cancelled automatically?
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If I’m a secondary on a credit card with my mother and she passes, can I continue to pay off the charges or does it get cancelled automatically?
Asked on January 6, 2013 under Estate Planning, Florida
Answers:
Catherine Blackburn / Blackburn Law Firm
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
What happens to this credit card depends on the policies of the credit card company. If you keep paying the card and it never goes into default, the company may do nothing and allow the card to remain as it is. These companies do not always find out that the primary cardholder is deceased.
If the company finds out that your mother is deceased, then you will have to negotiate with the company to switch the card to your name.
If an estate has to be opened for your mother, this credit card will be listed as a debt and the company notified. At that point, you will have to negotiate to put the card in your name.
I hope this answers your question.
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