Closing accounts
How to cancel a credit card for someone who died
The card closes. The balance goes to the estate.
Credit cards don't pass on to family members. After a death, card companies close the account and the balance becomes a debt of the estate, paid from the person's money and property before anything goes to heirs.
How it usually works
- Contacting each card company. Most have a phone line or online form for reporting a death.
- Providing the death certificate and the executor's details.
- Asking the company to close the account and send a final statement to the executor.
- Stopping any automatic payments that charged to the card.
Who owes the balance
| Role on the card | Usually responsible for the balance? |
|---|---|
| Account holder | Yes, through their estate |
| Joint account holder | Yes, personally |
| Authorized user | No. They usually just stop using the card. |
In community-property states, a surviving spouse may be responsible for some debts even if they weren't on the card. Rules vary.
Things families commonly do
- Not using the card after the death, even to pay the person's bills
- Destroying the cards once the accounts are closed
- Checking the credit report for cards nobody knew about
Good to know
Under federal rules, card companies can't tell family members they have to pay a debt they don't legally owe. Families can report problems to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.