Unless you are willing and able to proceed with a bankruptcy process, it is more than likely that your credit card debts are going to follow you to the grave. And they are not going to let you, or your loved ones, rest in peace until those debts are paid.
For the most part, the executor will be tasked with paying any credit card debts out of the existing estate. However, if those cards are jointly owned, the other surviving owner or co-signor just became the unfortunate inheritor of all that existing debt. Another situation to be on the look out for is whether or not someone other than the cardholder had been paying the bill. If someone had taken on the liability of paying those bills before the holder passed away, they may be liable to continue those payments even after the holder dies.
A lot of complicated issues can arise when there are unpaid credit card debts or even cards with credit still left on them. Anyone using those cards, authorized or not, may be committing a crime. It is always best to consult with your estate administration attorney before proceeding.
*This blog entry was not written by an Attorney and should not be constituted as professional legal advice.