Is the estate responsible for a credit card debt even though another person was an authorized user on the account and made all of the charges?

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Is the estate responsible for a credit card debt even though another person was an authorized user on the account and made all of the charges?

My siblings and I have been handling my dad’s estate in probate without an attorney, as we are all on the same page and everything is going smoothly. We have done all that the probate court has asked. We have all final bill notices from all creditors. One of the creditors is Bank of America for a credit card account that has over 8k in charges. The bank told us my dad was the sole person on the account but he had another

person listed as an authorized user of the account. This other person has their own card with their name on it and all the charges came from that guy’s card. So is the estate responsible for paying that debt or legally can

we make this guy responsible for it?

Asked on January 18, 2019 under Estate Planning, Oklahoma

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 5 years ago | Contributor

Authorized users are not resonsible for the debt--they are merely "authorized" to use the card, but they are not the account holder and are not the one who in taking out the card, agreed to pay any debts. Your father, and hence his estate, is responsible.


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