Q: Do I have to pay my wife’s credit card balances?
When my wife passed away she had credit card debt on cards that were only in her name. She also had life insurance for which I am the named beneficiary.
Can the companies make me use the life insurance proceeds to pay the credit card debts?
A: The general answer is no. There is a legal theory called the doctrine of necessaries in which they could sue you for certain types of charges, but it never happens if the balances are regular. Take the insurance, report your wife's death, and only do something if they contact you.
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