Who Will Inherit Your Debt When You Die?

Cleaning Up a Debt Mess

If a spouse, parent, grandparent or other relative has died recently, the person who is handling the estate (usually called the “executor” or “personal representative”) can order a copy of the deceased’s credit reports to find out which debts are still outstanding. Here’s how to order a credit report for someone who has died. Getting a credit report for someone who is deceased is also important because their information is sometimes stolen to commit identity theft.

While you are at it, it’s not a bad idea to get your own free credit report from all three credit bureaus to see which debts are reported. You can also get your credit score for free, but there really isn’t a point in getting a credit score for the person who is died.

Be very careful about taking money or property that belonged to the person who died if there are debts outstanding. Even if you aren’t personally responsible for those debts, creditors may have a claim on the property of the estate, and may look to you for payment if you took assets out of the estate without following the proper procedures. It’s best to get advice from an estate planning or probate attorney first.