Often people will pass away with debts–outstanding credit card bills, utility bills, mortgages, or other loans. Usually the deceased person’s assets will be used to pay the debts during the probate process, but there are also many cases where a person dies without enough assets to pay off all of his or her debts. All too often creditors will try to convince the deceased’s relatives that they should take on responsibility for those debts, either by making the relatives believe that they are legally liable for those debts or that–my favorite–it is the “right thing to do.” Whether it is the “right thing” to pay off someone else’s debts is an arguable point, but in most situations, you are not responsible for another person’s debts. The most common exceptions are that you may be responsible for loans that you co-signed or guaranteed for the deceased person, or for some debts of a deceased spouse.
See this article from the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog , along with this web page from the Pennsylvania Attorney General for general tips on how to deal with creditors. You should never agree to take on a deceased person’s debt (or anyone else’s debt, for that matter) before consulting with an attorney for advice on your specific circumstances.