Americans Are Dying With an Average of $62K of Debt


Olde Hornet

Well-Known Member
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/americans-dying-average-62k-debt-110000416.html

What Does Happen to Debt After You Die?

For the most part, your debt dies with you, but that doesn't mean it won't affect the people you leave behind.

"Debt belongs to the deceased person or that person's estate," said Darra L. Rayndon, an estate planning attorney with Clark Hill in Scottsdale, Arizona. If someone has enough assets to cover their debts, the creditors get paid, and beneficiaries receive whatever remains. But if there aren't enough assets to satisfy debts, creditors lose out (they may get some, but not all, of what they're owed). Family members do not then become responsible for the debt, as some people worry they might.

That's the general idea, but things are not always that straightforward. The type of debt you have, where you live and the value of your estate significantly affects the complexity of the situation. (For example, federal student loan debt is eligible for cancellation upon a borrower's death, but private student loan companies tend not to offer the same benefit. They can go after the borrower's estate for payment.)
 
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