In many cases the debt of a spouse who has died may not necessarily become your debt. However, there are some occasions where the debt will pass to you.
Are you a cosigner on a loan?
Is your name on an account as a second account holder (joint account)?
Does your state have a law requiring the spouse to pay a specific debt?
Based on the state, and on the type of debt, unfortunately, we cannot give a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
There are also times when a debt collector will attempt to contact you concerning a debt. For instance, a debt collector can contact you about your deceased spouse’s debt. At this point, you can direct them to the executor or the administrator of the estate.