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Transcript
[An angry kid sits at his desk in school complaining]
Kid: Ugh why don’t you teach us about things we’ll actually need to know as adults?!
[An unamused teacher]
Teacher: Ok, I’m going to teach you how to do your taxes while also dealing the death of a loved one
[The teacher, wearing the same expression, holds a knife in one hand, and a hamster in the other]
Teacher: Please itemize your deductions while I deal with Mister Hamps, the class pet
[A class of shocked and crying kids look on in horror while trying to simultaneously do their taxes. The cries of the hamster off screen are cut off abruptly]
Hamster: SQWEEE- -
The debt your grandmother had is now yours! If you don’t resolve it she will haunt you.
Sorry for your loss!!!
Now fuck you pay me.
As I understand it, even in third world shitholes like the US, debt itself doesn’t transfer… but you do have to deduct debt from inheritance before you get anything.
Pretty sure it depends on the state. In NY, my mom’s credit card debt disappeared when she died. I do not think that’s the same in other states. I assume it usually transfers to the spouse.
In which state can you inherit debt?
Spousal debt: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Other debts: About 30 states have archaic, rarely enforced laws that can make adult children legally responsible for their parents’ unpaid necessities, like medical or nursing home bills.
IANAL and this is a summary from Google, so I cannot vouch for the accuracy of any of it. I can just tell you that in my experience, NY does not pass on debt to spouses.
What about grandmother’s debt like we were discussing?
Like I’ve said, I do not know this stuff. A Google search says:
You do not automatically inherit your grandparent’s debt in any U.S. state, including New York. Debts are the responsibility of the deceased person’s estate, not the heirs. However, you may become personally liable in any state if you co-signed a loan, jointly held accounts with the right of survivorship, or acted as a legal guarantor. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
While there are no states where grandchildren specifically inherit general debt, over 20 states have historical “filial responsibility” laws that can legally require adult children to pay for the unpaid medical or elder care expenses of their indigent parents. [6, 7, 8]
How Care-Related Debt Could Impact You
If you are dealing with debt collection for a deceased relative, you can review your rights in the FTC Consumer Advice on Debts and Deceased Relatives and use the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
to report unlawful or abusive collection practices.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.metlife.com/stories/legal/can-you-inherit-debt/
[2] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6zwsytrEddc
[3] https://www.viewridgelaw.com/2025/10/will-i-inherit-my-parents-debt/
[4] https://vicklaw.org/can-i-inherit-the-debt-of-a-loved-one/
[5] https://www.debt.org/advice/deceased-relatives/
[6] https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/blog/financial-wellness/family-finances/can-you-inherit-debt-what-you-need-to-know-about-your-parents-debt-and-inherited-liabilities/
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_responsibility_laws
[8] https://trustandwill.com/learn/filial-responsibility-law
[9] https://www.carolinafep.com/library/what-happens-to-debt-when-a-person-dies-.cfm
[10] https://www.ncsl.org/resources/map-monday-states-spell-out-when-adult-children-have-a-duty-to-care-for-parents
[11] https://cielitolindoseniorliving.com/filial-laws-in-the-21st-century-balancing-family-care-and-financial-burdens/
Spouses yes, but only because things are generally in both names. Children no. They’ll try to lie and say it is, but it’s not.
Again, I think it depends on the state.
Example: https://www.elderlawanswers.com/son-liable-for-moms-93000-nursing-home-bill-under-filial-responsibility-law-9873
There are states with laws regarding passing on debts to children, so not sure why I’m being downvoted.
Edit: In general, an adult child never inherits their parent’s debt, but there are exceptions for certain debts in certain states. Also, it’s worth noting that debts usually come out of the estate, but in Florida you can be held liable for your parent’s debt up to the value of the property you inherited - so not out of the estate, but out of what the estate gave you. Similar, but not the same.
There is no state where you can inherit debt from a parent. It passes through their estate.
Sorry, but you are incorrect.
In general, what you are saying is mostly accurate, but you cannot say there are no states because there are exceptions.
I’ve not lived in many states, but when my dad died in Maryland, there was a period during which creditors had the opportunity to collect from his estate, then any debts were considered forfeit.
edit: Correct a word.
Depends on the debt, too. The feds changed things a few years ago so federal student loan debt can’t be discharged in death.
Lol, go fuck yourself, bill collector! You get nothing! You lose! God day sir!
I had some slimeball try that shit with me after my mother died. I told him to take it to the courts so he can get laughed out of the room and pay court costs cuz my mother died pennyless and I’m not making that my problem.
Depends massively on where you are located.
Debts don’t transfer when you die where I am from. Even if the estate can’t pay off all the debts with remaining assets the debts do not go to the inheritors.