To let the credit card company know that your father died, send them an e-mail, or phone them (try "customer service"). Provide them with contact information for your father's estate executor. In addition, provide the credit card information to your father's estate executor. The estate executor is responsible for settling your father's debts or notifying his creditors that the estate is insolvent. Although you did not ask for this information, you may be relieved to learn that children do not inherit their parents' debt. A credit card company cannot legally force someone other than the debtor to pay. One situation in which you could be required to pay is if you shared your father's credit card account in some way. A co-signer or joint account holder could be liable for the balance on that card, along with (or instead of) the deceased's estate. If you are serving in the executor role, you might want to hire an estate planning attorney to assist you. This is especially true if your father's business and personal assets were commingled, which can complicate the settlement of an estate. We would like your feedback on this Personal Finance Frequently Asked Question.

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