Am I responsible for unpaid medical bills of my newly deceased husband?

If you did not cosign or guarantee these obligations you have no legal responsibility to pay these bills. The estate if he has one is obligated to pay these debts from estate assets. Hope this helps. If you think this post was helpful, please check the thumbs up (helpful) tab below. Thanks. LEGAL DISCLAIMER Mr. Fromm is licensed to practice law in PA with offices in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties in the state of Pennsylvania. He phone number is 215-735-2336 and his email address is listed below. Mr. Fromm is ethically required to state that the response herein is not legal advice and does not create an attorney/ client relationship. Also, there are no recognized legal specialties under Pennsylvania law. Any references to a trust, estate or tax lawyer refer only to the fact that Mr. Fromm limits his practice to these areas of the law. These responses are only in the form of legal education and are intended to only provide general information about the matter within the question. Oftentimes the question does not include significant and important facts and timelines that if known could significantly change the reply or make such reply unsuitable. Mr. Fromm strongly advises the questioner to confer with an attorney in their state in order to ensure proper advice is received. By using this site you understand and agree that there is no attorney client relationship or confidentiality between you and the attorney responding. This site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney that practices in the subject area in your jurisdiction, who is familiar with your specific facts and all of the circumstances and with whom you have an attorney client relationship. The law changes frequently and varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The information and materials provided are general in nature, and may not apply to a specific factual or legal circumstance described in the question or omitted from the question. Circular 230 Disclaimer - Any information in this comment may not be used to eliminate or reduce penalties by the IRS or any other governmental agency.

This answer is not intended to provide you with specific legal advice regarding your situation, or to create any attorney-client relationship. First, please accept my deepest condolences on your loss. As the first answer states, in general, if you have not signed anything personally making yourself responsible for one of your husband's debts, then you are not legally obligated to pay the debt. As the first answer also states, however, if your husband owned any assets which became part of his probate estate, then his estate is legally responsible for his debts. Depending on what assets your husband had, and how they were owned or how the beneficiary designations were set up, these debts may need to be dealt with and not just ignored. I would urge you to consult an experienced probate attorney who can help you figure out what needs to be done and the best way to deal with the needed tasks. Even if assets became part of your husband's probate estate, it may be possible for you to have some or all of the assets distributed to you (and to minor children who survived your husband, if any) before the debts are paid. However, figuring out what rights you have and the best way to exercise them can be complicated, and a good attorney can be very helpful.

You are onbly responsible for obligations to which you obligated yourself by signing some form of an agremeent. Your husband's estate may be liable, but you are not.