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When my DH passed, I called one CC company (Discover) that he had an account with, with me as another cardholder. I wanted to cash out the rewards points (about $25). There was a balance owing of about the same amount. They wouldn't give me the points, so I told them good luck getting the balance paid. Didn't feel bad about it at all. I paid the rest of his bills even though there was no probate.
Yes, those bills still have to be paid until house is sold.
We are in the process of selling FILs house. Closing will be just the first week of January, but property taxes are due Jan 1. When we sign the offer we are accepting later today, we will see if we can't add that the buyer is responsible for those taxes.
Otherwise, we will have to pay full years taxes, and wait about 3 mos to get a refund back of 359 days prorated back to us. That's just a bit ridiculous, but we still may have to play that game.. pay the $4500 and wait to get $4439 back.
The heat is on (hopefully at the 58° we sent it at. We turned the water main off, and the water heater off. After the buyers inspection, we will have to check to be sure all is back to those settings.
Electric on too.
One MIGHT get away with turning that off in summer months, but buyers inspector is going to know all that works.
To get best offers, best to leave those on, but restricted just in case.
Daughter will have to notify those automatic bills that you are deceased and she will be selling the house as soon as she's able to after inheriting your estate.
She might even want (in fact she may have to) stop the auto payments, and go on month to month actual use payments.
Otherwise the bills may still be tried to pay even as she's ready to put your checking account.
Best
We just closed in June selling our house. The taxes were prorated IIRC to where we paid up until the closing date, then the buyer was responsible for everything after the closing date. Title company helped set all of that up. Pretty sure they also notified the township of the closing date for tax purposes.
If by "September check" you're referring to the check actually received in September, that would be the August benefit check so she would be entitled to keep it, regardless of what day in September she died. It would be the September benefit check that she would not have been entitled to keep. That's the check that would have been sent out in October.
Ahhh, that's right. I'd forgotten the SS deposits are for the preceding month. So they didn't take back the deposit she received in early September, that was for August. She died Sept. 30, and they took back the money they sent her in early October, that was for September. Now it makes sense. Thanks for pointing this out.
No one else does. SSA gets notified from the filing of the death certificate, but anyone else would have to be notified by next-of-kin or whomever.
If you are over 90 years old and don't have a Medicare bill in two years, SSA will check to see if you are dead and your relatives still cashing your monthly check.
Giving it more though and answering my own question. These entities don't care who pays the bills as long as somebody does. If there would be a problem, which apparently there won't, all she'd have to do is use her own credit card
This is not true. Utilities will be shut off if they are in the name of a deceased person, even if they are paid promptly and up to date. This could vary from state to state, but this is the law in Maryland. I know because I went through this when my father passed away in 2003 and the utility was impossible to deal with. Shortly after he passed away, I received letters in the mail stating that by state law the utility bill had to be put into someone else's name, or service would be turned off.
My FIL passed with about 40k in CC debt, my MIL (Wifes step mom), who is now living in her late sons house and being taken care of financially by monies from her son with no worries has decided to take on FIL debt with his SS and Pension using Debt Consolidation. I'll likely get roasted here, but I advised her to send the CC companies FIL Death Certificate, and let the debt go. I know she feels guilty leaning on hers sons $$, and the only way to not "Lean" on his $$ is to let go of FIL debt, it's done all the time.
Similar situation with my FIL and his wife (Husband's step mother technically.) The difference is he knew he was dying and intentionally ran up his CC debt. He also knew his wife wouldn't have to pay it, and she didn't. She did give our daughter a beautiful diamond ring he had purchased. I always feel a bit guilty about that. Needless to say my FIL was an interesting guy.
When my DH died, one of the banks also had the information that he had died, though not from me or the funeral director. They immediately cancelled the credit cards for which he had sole responsibility. Joint cards were not affected, so it wasn't a problem.
I often wondered if the bank had the SS information. The cards were cancelled within a week of death.
We just closed in June selling our house. The taxes were prorated IIRC to where we paid up until the closing date, then the buyer was responsible for everything after the closing date. Title company helped set all of that up. Pretty sure they also notified the township of the closing date for tax purposes.
You won't have to pay a years taxes.
This varies by state. In my state sellers or estates often pay at least 1 year of taxes, depending on when the closing is. We pay taxes in arrears in my state so if I sold a house in January of 2023 I'd have to pay the taxes from 2022. It would be part of my closing costs, and the title company would send them to the county.
Similar situation with my FIL and his wife (Husband's step mother technically.) The difference is he knew he was dying and intentionally ran up his CC debt. He also knew his wife wouldn't have to pay it, and she didn't. She did give our daughter a beautiful diamond ring he had purchased. I always feel a bit guilty about that. Needless to say my FIL was an interesting guy.
His debt really ramped up for the last 3 years, dementia was setting in and his Wife wouldn't admit he needed to go into a nursing home for proper care. When it became obvious she couldn't handle his care, she finally agreed to a nursing home, and thats when it all came to light. My Wife and I were not allowed in his home office, just MIL and her son (Step Brother to Wife), but she made us aware of all the damage and we covered Property tax.
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