The survivor should consult with a lawyer.

Senior Tip - if you or your spouse die, the survivor should consult with a lawyer. 

A few days ago a senior wrote me that his wife ran up large credit card bills. After she died, he called the credit card company and was told her credit card debt, in his specific case and after he had paid several thousand dollars on the the credit card, was not his responsibility. Another retired senior who read that senior tip , a retired lawyer, admonished me for not suggesting that a good senior tip in this situation was to consult with a lawyer. I correct that oversight today. 

The retired lawyer offered the following areas where a Lawyer might have been helpful.

He wrote, "If that senior had called me, I probably would have answered his question over the phone, but suggested that perhaps he should come see me to make sure that he had everything in order following the death of his wife. For example, getting the death certificate and recording it to clear joint tenancy title on real estate; maybe putting together a transfer on death deed so that his real estate would pass to the person he wanted when he died; adding someone to bank accounts; making sure that he did not have to put his wife’s estate through probate or doing so, if necessary; changing beneficiaries on insurance and IRAs and so on; etc. – and for the phone call, I may not have even charged him as I did many times in my career."

All good thoughts.

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