If you know you are going to die within a year, can I apply for and rack up Credit Card bills without affecting your family when you're gone?


Credit card companies are notified of a person's death and are expected to promptly notify the deceased person's family. [1] If there isn't enough money in the deceased person's estate to cover credit card balances, the card issuers may have to write off that debt as a loss. [1] However, if the deceased person had co-signed a credit card or had a joint credit card account, then the relative who is responsible for settling the deceased person's estate will be responsible for paying that card's debt. [2] Also, if the deceased person lived in a community property state and had a surviving spouse, then the spouse will be responsible for paying that card's debt. [2]
Credit card debt may or may not be passed onto the holder's family when the holder dies. In general, the family of a deceased person is expected to notify any lenders, including credit card companies, when that person dies [1]. If there isn't enough money in the deceased person's estate to cover credit card balances, the card issuers may have to write off that debt as a loss, because credit card debt, unlike a mortgage or a car loan, is not secured [2]. However, in some cases, relatives of a deceased person may be held responsible for that person's credit card debt [3]. For example, a relative may have co-signed a credit card or had a joint credit card account with the deceased person [3]. In so-called community property states, a person is required to pay their deceased spouse's credit card debt [3]. Relatives who were legally responsible for administering the deceased person's estate but didn't comply with certain state probate laws may also be responsible for paying that person's credit card debt [4].