Nursing Home Situation

Anonymous · ‎04-25-2018

Neighbor asked a question so here goes the parents last year had debts because

they're living in nursing home and broke after spending before they got sick.

She never lived with them should she ignore the debts? everything is in the parents

names, told her to maybe ask other family for financial help as she doesn't want to

ignore the debt because. It's a moral thing but told me she really can't afford the bills

when they come due as she never paid them her parents did, also isn't she under the law

not obligated to repay a debt she didn't create? she wasn't an AU the debt is around

5-10k and the parents told her if she can't pay don't worry.

pipeguy · ‎04-25-2018

Legally you are under no obligation to pay a debt you didn't make or are not a co-signer of. Morally, you can of course, but it's foolish in most cases. Assisted living is very expensive and very few are prepared for the cost, most people go through their lifetime assets and end up on Medicaid which will pay something towards nursing care (Medicare generally won't). It's usually a sad situation, but if you feel obligated to pay something, consider their needs for your contribution rather than contributing to a lenders bottom line when you have no obligation to do so.

Anonymous · ‎04-25-2018

@pipeguy wrote:
Legally you are under no obligation to pay a debt you didn't make or are not a co-signer of. Morally, you can of course, but it's foolish in most cases. Assisted living is very expensive and very few are prepared for the cost, most people go through their lifetime assets and end up on Medicaid which will pay something towards nursing care (Medicare generally won't). It's usually a sad situation, but if you feel obligated to pay something, consider their needs for your contribution rather than contributing to a lenders bottom line when you have no obligation to do so.

Yea! she feels bad and we talk all the time and that's just it they've got no money in

their bank account and with her rent and car payments it sounds silly for her to even

try doing. According to her she was never AU also the accounts are in the parents name.

Hospital took almost everything except for a house that was put in the brothers name before

anyone got sick if my memory serves me the Hospital can't touch the house as it wasn't in the

parents name and I think she said they ended up on medicaid or some state insurance plan.

Anonymous · ‎05-08-2018

Parent had a checking account how does that get closed? death certificate needed for closure?

pipeguy · ‎05-08-2018

@Anonymous wrote:
Parent had a checking account how does that get closed? death certificate needed for closure?

Depends on the situation, if the parent is still alive and of sound mind, they can close it OR add a co-owner to the account. If the "parent" dies any money in that account becomes part of the estate and should the executor request the account be closed the bank will usually require a copy of the death certificate (usually a certified copy, but in my case(s) the bank photocopied the certified copy and returned the original certified copy to me).

Note that if the account has a surviving co-owner, normal funds in that account automatically become the property of the surviving owner. By normal funds, I mean that you can't hide assets from the estate or debts by setting up a co-owner or transferring "major things of value" into a shadow checking account just to avoid debts or proper distribution to heirs.

Anonymous · ‎05-09-2018

@pipeguy wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Parent had a checking account how does that get closed? death certificate needed for closure?
Depends on the situation, if the parent is still alive and of sound mind, they can close it OR add a co-owner to the account. If the "parent" dies any money in that account becomes part of the estate and should the executor request the account be closed the bank will usually require a copy of the death certificate (usually a certified copy, but in my case(s) the bank photocopied the certified copy and returned the original certified copy to me).

Note that if the account has a surviving co-owner, normal funds in that account automatically become the property of the surviving owner. By normal funds, I mean that you can't hide assets from the estate or debts by setting up a co-owner or transferring "major things of value" into a shadow checking account just to avoid debts or proper distribution to heirs.

Thank You!

Anonymous · ‎05-12-2018

After giving her the info from here she was able to close the account however the creditors are likely going to try and debit an account that no longer exists simply because that was the last account on file with them could be wrong.

Anonymous · ‎06-04-2018

She disconected the telephones people kept calling her asking for money owed.