{"id":641802,"date":"2024-10-18T17:05:07","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T14:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/"},"modified":"2024-10-18T17:05:07","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T14:05:07","slug":"what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/","title":{"rendered":"#What happens to your medical debt after you die?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d3f253bfb0\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d3f253bfb0\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#What_happens_to_your_medical_debt_after_you_die\" >What happens to your medical debt after you die?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#What_if_the_estate_doesnt_cover_the_debt\" >What if the estate doesn\u2019t cover the debt?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#How_filial_responsibility_laws_may_affect_your_children\" >How filial responsibility laws may affect your children<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#States_with_filial_responsibility_laws\" >States with filial responsibility laws<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#When_your_parent_lives_in_a_filial_responsibility_state_%E2%80%94_but_you_dont\" >When your parent lives in a filial responsibility state \u2014 but you don\u2019t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#How_to_manage_medical_debt_after_a_loved_one_dies\" >How to manage medical debt after a loved one dies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#What_happens_to_other_types_of_debt_after_you_die\" >What happens to other types of debt after you die?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#How_to_avoid_passing_on_debt_after_you_die\" >How to avoid passing on debt after you die<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#Sources\" >Sources<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\/#About_the_writer\" >About the writer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>About 41% of Americans have debt that\u2019s related to health care, according to a recent survey from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#sources\" data-jump-link=\"\" data-ylk=\"slk:health policy nonprofit KFF;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">health policy nonprofit KFF<\/a>. If you don\u2019t currently have medical debt, it\u2019s possible that you\u2019ll take some on in the future, even if you have private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General<\/a>ly, your family isn&#8217;t responsible for paying your medical bills after you\u2019re gone. However, there are a few exceptions \u2014 especially when it comes to spouses and children, depending on where you live. It\u2019s also common for im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>te family members to continue receiving past due notices related to medical debt, even if they aren\u2019t legally responsible for paying those bills. If that\u2019s the case, it\u2019s best to seek legal counsel before responding.<\/p>\n<p>You might also want to get legal help to protect your estate. An estate lawyer can help you write a will, choose an executor and come up with other plans to protect your heirs\u2019 assets from creditors.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"what-happens-to-your-medical-debt-after-you-die\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_to_your_medical_debt_after_you_die\"><\/span>What happens to your medical debt after you die?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Like all debt, medical debt left behind after your death is paid by your estate. The debt goes to the person handling your estate \u2014 called an executor.<\/p>\n<p>The executor\u2019s job is to manage the legal and financial affairs of a deceased person. Some people <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>oint an executor in their will, otherwise a probate court will appoint one based on your state\u2019s laws.<\/p>\n<p>The executor will use your assets to pay off your debts in a specific order, which varies depending on your state. If there isn\u2019t enough cash in your bank accounts to cover your debts, then the executor may start selling your assets to cover the expense.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"what-if-the-estate-doesnt-cover-the-debt\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_if_the_estate_doesnt_cover_the_debt\"><\/span>What if the estate doesn\u2019t cover the debt?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If the estate is insolvent \u2014 meaning, you don\u2019t have enough assets to cover your bills left after you die \u2014 it\u2019s possible that the medical debt may be passed on to someone else under specific circumstances that include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"caas-list caas-list-bullet\">\n<li>\n<p>A loved one <strong>cosigned a loan<\/strong> to help pay for care that insurance didn\u2019t cover. In this case, the cosigner would be responsible for the repayments.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>You used a credit card with a<strong> joint account holder<\/strong> to pay for medical bills. In this case the joint account holder would be responsible for the balance.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The <strong>executor of your estate<\/strong> didn\u2019t properly follow your state\u2019s laws around prioritizing creditor payments. In this case, the executor could be responsible for some of your debts.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>You\u2019re a parent who lives in one of nearly 30 states with <strong>filial responsibility laws<\/strong>. In this case, your child may be responsible for some of your unpaid medical bills.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>You\u2019re married and live in a state with <strong>community property laws<\/strong>. In this case, your spouse may be responsible for some or all of your medical debt.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\ud83d\udd0d If a medical facility claims you\u2019re a guarantor and asks you to pay outstanding fees left behind after a loved one has died, <strong>contact a lawyer or elder law attorney.<\/strong> It\u2019s illegal for nursing homes to request third-party guarantors or \u201cresponsible parties\u201d in their admission agreements, thanks to the federal <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:2;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerfinance.gov\/compliance\/circulars\/circular-2022-05-debt-collection-and-consumer-reporting-practices-involving-invalid-nursing-home-debts\/\" data-ylk=\"slk:Nursing Home Reform Act;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">Nursing Home Reform Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you live in a state with community property laws, your spouse could be responsible for any unpaid medical debts after you die. In states with community property laws, the assets that you earn and debts that you take while you\u2019re married are shared between both partners \u2014 a holdover from a time when single-income households were the norm. Most states have done away with community property laws.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, there are nine states that still have community property laws:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"caas-list caas-list-bullet\">\n<li>\n<p>Arizona<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>California<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Idaho<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Louisiana<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Nevada<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>New Mexico<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Texas<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Washington<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Wisconsin<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In California, Nevada and Washington, registered domestic partners are also covered by community property rules.<\/p>\n<p>Living in a community property state doesn\u2019t mean that creditors can necessarily clean out your and your spouse\u2019s bank accounts. That\u2019s because some types of assets and debt are considered to be separate property \u2014 owned by only one spouse.<\/p>\n<p>Generally, the following types of assets are considered separate property:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"caas-list caas-list-bullet\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Assets or debts you took on before your marriage,<\/strong> such as contributions to a retirement plan or student loans<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Assets and debts you took on while living outside of a property state,<\/strong> regardless of when you were married<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Assets you bought during marriage using separate property funds<\/strong> \u2014 such as a car purchased with money you earned before you married<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Gifts given to an individual spouse,<\/strong> since this is an unearned asset<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Inheritance,<\/strong> since this is also an unearned asset<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Any property listed as separate in a prenuptial agreement<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What is and isn\u2019t community property can become complicated, so consult a probate lawyer if you ever lived in a community property state during your marriage and are worried about your spouse taking on unpaid medical debt.<\/p>\n<p>If you are a widow or widower who\u2019s received a call from collectors claiming you owe them for your spouse\u2019s medical or other debt, don\u2019t pay or sign anything until you have confirmation from a lawyer that you are, in fact, responsible.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"how-filial-responsibility-laws-may-affect-your-children\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_filial_responsibility_laws_may_affect_your_children\"><\/span>How filial responsibility laws may affect your children<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In states with filial responsibility laws, adult children are financially obligated to pay their deceased parents\u2019 debt. This may apply even if that parent did not financially provide for or support the child.<\/p>\n<p>Some 30 states have filial responsibility laws that allow creditors to turn to adult children to satisfy their parents\u2019 medical debt. If you\u2019re the child of a parent who\u2019s recently died, it\u2019s worth checking to see if your parent was a resident of a state with these laws and what it entails, since each state\u2019s laws are slightly different.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, <strong>most states don\u2019t enforce their filial responsibility laws<\/strong>, even if they technically have them on the books. Some states, like California, even have laws that contradict their filial responsibility laws: <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:3;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/codes\/california\/code-wic\/division-9\/part-3\/chapter-3\/article-8\/section-12350\/#:~:text=Next-,12350.,of%20aid%20under%20this%20chapter.\" data-ylk=\"slk:California\u2019s Welfare and Institutions Code;cpos:3;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">California\u2019s Welfare and Institutions Code<\/a>, for example, states that no one is liable to pay for a relative\u2019s medical care.<\/p>\n<p>However, some medical facilities have sued the adult children of their deceased residents who were too wealthy to qualify for Medicaid but couldn\u2019t afford medical costs. Pennsylvania has enforced the filial responsibility law more than any other state over the past few decades, requiring children to pay for the long-term care of indigent parents. Other states that have seen similar lawsuits include Louisiana and North Dakota.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"states-with-filial-responsibility-laws\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"States_with_filial_responsibility_laws\"><\/span>States with filial responsibility laws<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"caas-table\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Alaska<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Nevada<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Arkansas<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>New Hampshire<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>California<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>New Jersey<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Connecticut<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>North Carolina<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Delaware<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>North Dakota<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Georgia<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Ohio<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Idaho<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Oregon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Indiana<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Pennsylvania<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Iowa<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Rhode Island<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Kentucky<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>South Dakota<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Louisiana<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Tennessee<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Maryland<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Vermont<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Massachusetts<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>Virginia<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Mississippi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span>West Virginia<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span>Montana<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"when-your-parent-lives-in-a-filial-responsibility-state--but-you-dont\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_your_parent_lives_in_a_filial_responsibility_state_%E2%80%94_but_you_dont\"><\/span>When your parent lives in a filial responsibility state \u2014 but you don\u2019t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s possible to be sued and found liable for your parents\u2019 medical debt even if you don\u2019t live in a filial responsibility state. This happened in 2012, when a Pennsylvania court found the son of a former nursing home resident <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:4;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Business\/pennsylvania-son-stuck-moms-93000-nursing-home-bill\/story?id=16405807\" data-ylk=\"slk:liable for her unpaid debt;cpos:4;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">liable for her unpaid debt<\/a> \u2014 even though he lived outside of the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>If your parents died in a state other than the one you live in, it may not matter if you\u2019re held liable. Generally, a state can\u2019t enforce a ruling if you live outside of its jurisdiction. However, you should still consult a lawyer if you\u2019re being sued for a deceased parent\u2019s outstanding medical debt.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"how-to-manage-medical-debt-after-a-loved-one-dies\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_manage_medical_debt_after_a_loved_one_dies\"><\/span>How to manage medical debt after a loved one dies<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If debt collectors contact you about a loved one\u2019s unpaid medical bills after they die, contact a lawyer familiar with consumer protections before you respond. There is a good chance you aren\u2019t responsible for them, even if the creditors say you are.<\/p>\n<p>You can <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:5;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanbar.org\/groups\/legal_services\/flh-home\/\" data-ylk=\"slk:find a lawyer who specializes in elder care;cpos:5;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">find a lawyer who specializes in elder care<\/a> on the American Bar Association\u2019s website. In some cases, you may be able to qualify for free representation.<\/p>\n<p>If it\u2019s a debt that you shared \u2014 say you took out a joint home equity loan or HELOC to cover medical expenses \u2014 then you will have to assume the repayments as usual. However, you may be able to renegotiate the amount, rate and term due to the circumstances. Call your creditor and explain the situation if the monthly payment isn\u2019t something you can afford.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dive deeper:<\/strong> What <em>not<\/em> to do after losing your spouse or partner<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"what-happens-to-other-types-of-debt-after-you-die\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_to_other_types_of_debt_after_you_die\"><\/span>What happens to other types of debt after you die?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In most cases, other types of debt are treated similarly to medical debt after you die. However, there may be some differences, depending on the type of debt you have.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"caas-list caas-list-bullet\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Mortgages<\/strong> can get complicated because they\u2019re tied to an asset. Cosigners or heirs often assume the responsibility for the mortgage. Spouses may also be responsible for the mortgage in community property states. If nobody claims the home, then the lender can foreclose on the property.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Credit card debt<\/strong> typically gets passed on to any joint account holders or cosigners after you die. Your spouse may also be responsible for paying off the account if you live in a community property state. Authorized users won\u2019t be responsible for the debt.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Federal student loans<\/strong> can be discharged when you die, though it won\u2019t happen automatically. A family member will need to submit proof of debt to the servicer. Private student loans are treated like personal loans and are not discharged.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Personal loans <\/strong>are typically paid off by the estate. If any debt remains, then a cosigner or spouse may assume responsibility if the debt was taken on in a community property state.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Dig deeper:<\/strong> What happens to your bank account after you die?<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"how-to-avoid-passing-on-debt-after-you-die\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_avoid_passing_on_debt_after_you_die\"><\/span>How to avoid passing on debt after you die<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Estate planning can help you reduce the amount of medical debt you pass on when you die \u2014 and, in some cases, eliminate it.<\/p>\n<p>The first step to protect your assets is to work with an estate planning attorney to create a will. This will help you make sure that you\u2019re following local laws and also designate a professional \u2014 such as a probate lawyer \u2014 as the executor of the will.<\/p>\n<p>You may also want to consider steps that can help your relatives directly receive money after you die, like buying a life insurance policy. Life insurance money goes directly to the beneficiaries when you die, rather than to the estate, and isn\u2019t subject to community property laws.<\/p>\n<p>Also consider giving away your assets before you die. Since gifts may have limits, you may want to talk to a trusted financial or retirement advisor to help you draw up a plan.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"sources\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sources\"><\/span>Sources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"about-the-writer\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_writer\"><\/span>About the writer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Anna Serio-Ali<\/strong> is a trusted lending expert who specializes in consumer and business financing. A former certified commercial loan officer, Anna&#8217;s written and edited more than a thousand articles to help Americans strengthen their financial literacy. Her expertise and analysis on personal, student, business and car loans has been featured in Business Insider, CNBC, Nasdaq and ValueWalk, among other publications, and she earned an Expert Contributor in Finance badge from review site Best Company in 2020.<\/p>\n<p><em>Article edited by <\/em><em>Kelly Suzan Waggoner<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aol.com\/finance\/what-happens-to-medical-debt-after-death-140506932.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About 41% of Americans have debt that\u2019s related to health care, according to a recent survey from health policy nonprofit KFF. If you don\u2019t currently have medical debt, it\u2019s possible that you\u2019ll take some on in the future, even if you have private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Generally, your family isn&#8217;t responsible for paying your&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":641803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/X0SqmKWnEeT.q8_WhcVP2A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-10\/955dc8b0-8d56-11ef-b777-d0348a5331fd","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-641802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=641802"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641802\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=641802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=641802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=641802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}